The Prince's Champion
by FantasyDreamer06
Summary: Tana Williams thought she had everything she needed to be happy. A wonderful family, job, college, boyfriend... At least, until she finds herself confronted by a world she never knew existed, and a Prince that drives her to the edge of sanity. Will her heart be strong enough to resist her own traitorous desires? OC/OC. Updated chapters 2-8.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

Author's note: Please note that I consider this story a constant work in progress. I have been working on it for probably a year and could really use some feedback on it. I can't tell you how much constructive criticism is welcome; this is my first story of this length I have truly completed. That being said, this story is finished in theory, so updates will be quick and frequent. I hope you all enjoy it! This has been a labor of love and has undergone so many changes in its life.

Per usual, all Characters not my own belong to the Henson Company, much as I would wish otherwise.

Prologue: A Short Backstory

Cherubic. That was the word that her grandfather had used to describe her when she was young. Only five, her round, sweet face with its cupid's bow lips held promise of beauty as she grew. Her eyes were framed with thick, dark lashes and a full head of wild, curly hair completed the doll-like appearance. Of course, her grandfather had claimed to love all of his grandchildren equally, but he had held a special fondness for his odd changeling child. He indulged her, reading her fairy tales that stirred not just her imagination, but her soul. Regaling her with stories of Goblins and Kings, he always sent her away with a reminder: "Magic is real. Never let anyone tell you any different".

With her dimples and insatiable love of life, she could spend hours on his knee, listening to his stories.

She had been legally adopted, that much everyone knew. It was no secret. Her mother and father had once thought themselves barren, the babe appearing from seemingly out of nowhere on their doorstep. After taking the baby into their home, her adoptive mother bore her own children. While the child was still well-loved and never neglected by her family, she was most certainly the oddity. The older she became, the more pronounced the differences were. Her siblings grew tall and willowy, and fair-featured with pretty, oval-shaped faces, while she remained petite with a heart-shaped face. She was pretty enough in her own way, she supposed, with her almond-shaped eyes and full lips, but compared to her sisters, there was nothing unique about her.

Nothing interesting at all.

At 12 years old, few of her peers still believed in magic, and she still felt like an outsider in the world. It went deeper than just her complexion. While she could never put words to the strange sensation, there was a deep sense of displacement burrowed in her soul. True contentment came only when she was alone in the woods, so she sought to escape there often. When she was among the heartbeat of the trees, the wind caressing her fondly, she felt peace. Branches embraced her, cradling her with affection, imbuing her with comfort that she rarely felt from people. Her mother affectionately referred to her as her little tomboy, for as much as she liked to climb trees. It was a trait her mother thought she would outgrow one day, while her father would simply smile and tousle her hair.

But as much as she tried and despite the love of her family, she never felt quite at peace with her world. Silently, she craved more. More of what, she couldn't say. She was homesick for something she'd never known. A life she was quite convinced she would never live.

She was 15 when their father passed away. It was then that she decided it was time to become an adult. Stop wishing for nonsense and be happy with what you have, she would tell herself. There had been no magic that could have saved her father from the crash, no miracle. There was no such thing. Somewhere, in the midst of her grief, a resolve began to harden in her heart.

Locking away her natural inclination towards the fanciful, she denied the restless stirring deep within her. It was now something she refused to acknowledge. Pushing the feelings away, hiding them tightly in the furthest corners of her heart. Instead, she allowed her life to consume her, filling the void with everything that came with a human life. Responsibilities, homework, college, work! She plunged into the mundane, finding some measure of comfort there. In time, the girl learned to ignore the whispers of the breeze and the empty space where her dreams once lied.

Moving to New York for College, she continued living her life, contentedly enough. The nice thing about the city was the anonymity. At least here, everyone was an outsider in their own way. She selected an apartment on the fringes of the city, as she found the concrete jungle was stifling to her at times. Despite the abrasiveness of the cold concrete, she felt a sense of resignation in herself, an odd sort of calm. She'd long ago accepted that she would never experience magic, and so she accepted the City and all of its grey, lackluster charms.

Eventually, she found herself in a relationship. He was a man who did not make her blood race or her senses dance, but he was a good man. She convinced herself that she loved him, ignoring the lack of passion she felt. She supposed no one could make her feel like she was living a fairy tale; might as well love as best she could while she was still young. She convinced herself she was happy enough. But every now and again, when she looked into her own eyes in the mirror, there was a deep sadness lurking just below the surface. Sometimes, she just stood and stared, willing something, anything, to happen. Nothing ever did. It was always just her, and her plain brown hair and plain brown eyes and dimpled cheeks.

It was in her junior year of college, at 22, that she suffered her greatest loss. She grieved her grandfather, her confidant and closest friend. Only he had understood her, truly. On that day, something inside her crumbled to dust.

For she craved magic. She was not a human creature, regardless of what she convinced herself. She would never belong, and slowly, too slowly for anyone to notice, the human world was slowly killing her.

**Please leave a contribution in the little box**


	2. Chapter 2: Guardian

The Prince

In a castle far from the human world, a Fae King rose his hands to silence his subjects. The rowdy, simple creatures fell silent in anticipation, their beady eyes fixated on his slender figure. He stole a glance at his Queen, seated demurely on the throne next to his. A smile quirked her pink lips as she gave a slight nod. King Jareth's attention turned back to the crowd while his wife rose to stand by him. Delicate fingers entwined with his as he began to speak, pride and joy radiating from every molecule of her body.

His voice reverberated off the ceiling of the room. "Thank you all for coming. As you know, today is a very unique day in our realm."

A whoop of excitement rose from the crowd. He could almost feel Queen Sarah's love radiating through their joined hands as she gave his fingers a gentle squeeze. He raised his free hand to silence the goblins once more.

"Today we designate a new Guardian of the Labyrinth. Many of you have waited for this day, knowing that I no longer can fill that role."

The creatures let out a groan; they would indeed miss their King patrolling among the maze.

Jareth continued, ignoring them. "Prince Jareth the Second, my son and my namesake, has come of age. He has proven himself just and fair, capable and strong. He will watch over you, my subjects, and all runners who enter the Labyrinth." The King looked towards the door. "Welcome your new Guardian, Prince Jareth the Second of the Goblin Kingdom!"

Double doors swung open swiftly, and the Prince, ever dramatic, made his grand entrance in a shower of glitter. Dressed in jet black armor with a short cape fluttering behind him, his authoritative stride and imposing air had the goblins scrambling to get out of his way. Sharp green eyes barely spared the creatures a glance as he made his way to his parents. He held his head high, even haughtily, some might say.

King Jareth watched his son with a combination of pride and bemusement. Cocky and arrogant, he thought. His son was just like he himself had been when he had been young. He even bore a strong resemblance to his sire with his sharply upturned eyebrows, strong jaw, unruly mop of blond hair, and one ice blue eye. But there was much of his wife in the boy as well. From her, the prince had inherited high cheek bones, a straight, aristocratic nose, and one brilliant emerald eye. These thoughts flitted through the King as he stole another glance at his dark-haired queen. It didn't seem so long ago that she herself was infuriating him within his Labyrinth, defying him at every turn.

And yet, here they now stood side-by-side, watching their grown son walk towards them to claim his role as the Guardian of the Labyrinth.

A wave of unspeakable adoration flooded through him, his fingers squeezing hers gently and bringing her emerald eyes to him. Her gaze shimmered, reflecting so much love that his own heart felt as though it would burst. How fortunate they were.

The prince stopped, kneeling before his parents in the floor depression in front of them. A hush fell across the room as the Goblins waited breathlessly.

The vows were simple, as the Goblins had no need for or want for complicated ceremonies. The Prince swore to protect the Kingdom, maintain justice and order. Prince Jareth would watch over wished-aways and the runners. He would ensure that runners who failed were returned home, their memories wiped clean.

King Jareth paused. There was something he had never told his son about the Labyrinth, something he would learn today. Steeling himself, he continued.

"As you may know, the Labyrinth was designed to protect its guardian. Should a runner defeat the Labyrinth, she will have the right to wed the Guardian and rule as his equal".

Prince Jareth's head snapped upwards, his eyes widened with a hint of horror. His father met his gaze levelly, while the Queen watched keenly with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

The Prince felt his jaw clench. Typical of his parents to keep that tidbit from him. No wonder his mother was the only one to have defeated the Labyrinth. Jareth glanced at his parents, then the subjects around him. He was their Prince, and he owed it to them to take on this role. Through the years they had been his companions, his entertainment, and his friends. The Labyrinth was stagnating without a guardian to protect it, and had been since the Queen had defeated it. Without a purpose, the Labyrinth grew unruly and restless. It needed him.

This was his home. He couldn't allow the Labyrinth to go on like it was. He closed his eyes, opening them to pledge his loyalty to his kingdom. "I swear on my honor as Prince of the Labyrinth, Heir to the Goblin Throne, that whosoever defeats the Labyrinth will be allowed to rule at my side as my wife and future Queen."

His parents' faces broke into broad smiles, the King removing an amulet from around his neck. The odd triangle glinted slightly, the infinity symbol at its center humming with power. Stepping down, the King placed it around his son's neck. Looking back at the Goblins, he gestured for the Guardian to stand.

"My subjects, I give you your new Guardian, Prince Jareth!"

The room erupted into cheers, chickens tossed into the air as the goblins shouted and sung. Barrels of ale popped as corks were removed. An odd song started, an ancient and primitive Goblin song that they soon all joined. Even the King and Queen joined, dancing and singing with their subjects and the Prince well into the evening.

Later, the King pulled his son aside. "We need to talk about your oath. There is more complexity involved that what you have heard today in your promise."

Annoyed with his father though he was, the Prince nodded. "While I don't appreciate you keeping that sort of secret from me Father, I'm willing to forgive you."

King Jareth smirked. "How generous of you. Meet me in the morning in my study and we'll go over the finer points of your contract as Guardian. There's much more to it than simply frolicking about and slowing down runners."

"Frolicking, Father?" He smiled.

"Would 'womanizing' have been more accurate?" the King retorted, his own smile quirking the corners of his lips.

Just then the Queen wrapped her son in a hug before her son could respond to his father's teasing.

"I'm so proud of you, Jareth. You'll make a fine guardian. I daresay you'll be just as good as your father was!"

Prince Jareth smiled, thanking his mother for her kind praise. Pulling away from him, Sarah studied her son's face. He looked so much like his father one could almost mistake them for twins. But her son's face was somehow more square, his features less sharp than his father's. She supposed he got that from her side of the family; humans weren't as fine-featured as the fae. He was also broader in shoulder and an inch or two taller, another oddity among her husband's people. That didn't make him any less desirable.

Her son and husband continued to talk for a moment longer, before getting ale for themselves and once more joining in the singing. She herself returned to her throne, losing herself in thought.

Many Fae families had approached them with marriage proposals, seeking an alliance with the Goblin Kingdom. While the Goblins were simple creatures, their ability to mine and farm raw materials was truly uncanny. They had some of the richest stores of gold, silver, and copper out of all the kingdoms. Marble and other forms of rock were also abundant here. This, combined with the minimal needs of the goblins, made their kingdom by and far one of the wealthiest. Therefore it was no wonder that other Fae wanted to join with them.

She smiled as she watched her son sling a laughing goblin against the wall, shouts of "Bull's Eye!" ringing from the rambunctious crowd as the round creature bounced to the ground with a cheer. Like his father before him, Jareth truly enjoyed his subjects. And that, in of itself, was one reason why not just any marriage would do. Most fae despised the goblins, viewing them as lowly, dirty creatures. Most of the other noble-born would like to wipe them out, replacing them with other Fae species that were more pleasant to look at.

Hence the need for the Labyrinth. Only one who could truly love and appreciate the Goblin Kingdom could defeat it, earning the right to rule alongside the current monarchs and ensuring the continuation of their bloodline and the safety of the Goblins. This was something she had learned only years after she had run the Labyrinth.

Sarah thought back to her own run. She hadn't known it at the time, but her friendship with Ludo, Hoggle, and Sir Didymus had been more important than she had realized. While having a will strong enough to defeat the king was also a criteria, it had been her unwavering love for her friends and loyalty to her family that had been her true test. She stole a glance at her husband, who was again dancing with his subjects, tossing them gleefully in the air while they laughed uproariously. Nevermind that she had always had a crush on him, from the first moment he'd swooped in through her parent's bedroom window. She smiled at the memory. He'd tried so hard to scare her, throwing a snake on her and wearing all-black armor.

As if he'd sensed her thoughts, the King met her eyes. The warm promise in his gaze sent her heart racing as thought it was the first time she'd seen that look.

She gave him a knowing wink before excusing herself to their bedroom. He'd be along soon enough, and the evening's festivities had left her tired.

Once alone, Sarah sat in front of a mirror. The surface of it rippled when she touched it, bringing into view a fairly small room. An old man, his hair white and thinned with age, glanced up. His bright eyes caught sight of her, and he moved as quickly as his creaking joints would allow and seated himself in front of her.

"Sarah!" He greeted. "It's been a while. How are you?"

The queen smiled at her baby brother. He'd grown so old since she had rescued him from the Labyrinth. When she had married Jareth, she had become part-fae, extending her life expectancy by hundreds of years. While she scarcely looked older than thirty, the years had not been as kind to her brother. "Hey Toby. How are you?"

Toby didn't respond right away. When he did speak, he chose his words carefully. "I'm old, Sarah. I'm not going to be around much longer."

Horror spread across her face. "Don't say that!"

He shook his head. "I'm human, and we all have our time. I've lived a damn good life and have some damn good grandchildren to show for it." Toby paused, then reached in a drawer to pull out a very familiar red book.

Despite the tears pricking her eyes, Sarah smiled. It was that book that had landed her where she was now.

Toby continued. "I'm going to pass this along for you, Sarah. I've held onto it this long, but now it's someone else's turn."

Sarah said nothing, watching as he coughed. When his fit subsided, he smiled. "Don't cry for me, sister. If I don't see you again, I want you to know I love you and hope you live forever."

Tears brimming, she reached out, touching the mirror. "I love you too, Tobes."

On his side of the mirror, he pressed his fingers to hers. There was nothing more to say.

That was the last time they spoke.


	3. Chapter 3: Family

Chapter three: Fairy tales

"Tana? Tana!" A feminine voice called, the sound muffled by a closed bedroom door.

"Go'way" the girl still hiding in the full-sized bed mumbled, yanking her blue comforter over her head.

Light footsteps grew louder, the door opening as a pretty blonde stepped into the room.

Tana peeked at her sister from under her blanket, glaring. "Didn't anyone teach you to knock?"

Callie was undeterred by her sibling's crankiness. She shook her head, her perfect straight blond hair swishing around her face. "C'mon, you've gotta get up. Remember that we have to go to the Lawyer's office today?"

Safely hidden under blankets, Tana flinched. " Why did we make this appointment so early?" She grumbled, ignoring the ache in her chest from the reminder as she poked her head out from under her safe space to glare at her sister. "Oh alright, I'm up." Tana flipped the blanket off her head, her espresso-colored curls a rebellious riot on top of her head. Callie giggled at the sight.

Tana stuck her tongue out, running a hand through the bird's nest she called hair. "Not all of us can just _wake up_ like _that_." she grumbled good-naturedly, gesturing vaguely at her sister's perfectly straight, lovely blond locks.

Callie giggled again, a pretty, melodious sound. Sighing dramatically, Tana swung herself out of bed, standing next to her sister for a moment and stretching. Her younger sibling stood several inches taller, a fact that annoyed Tana to no end. She was supposed to be the BIG sister, after all. Pinching the bridge of her nose in an exaggerated 'I have a headache, go away' gesture, she sighed. "Oh go make yourself useful. You didn't happen to make coffee, did you?" Callie shook her head negatively. "Then go do that while I get ready. Won't take long."

Callie, smiling at her sister's gruffness, vanished through the door.

Left alone, she flopped back on the bed. Her heart squeezed when she remembered the reason for the early morning wakeup call. Despite the lightheartedness of their banter, today was not a happy day. Today they were reading Grandpa Toby's will. Even though a week had passed, pain still ricocheted through her chest when she thought about the cranky old man. She had adored him. He was the only one who didn't make her feel like an outcast. Getting out of bed, she glared at her hair in the mirror. It was somewhere between curly and "kitchen pot scourer" today, and looked utterly ridiculous as it formed a wild halo around her head. Impatiently she tied it into a ponytail. Whatever. Grandpa Toby had never cared what her hair looked like anyways.

The smell of coffee brewing dragged her out of her self-criticism. Quickly changing into something slightly more acceptable than pajamas, Tana made her way to the kitchen. She perked up when the first bit of the black elixir hit her tongue, and she sighed contentedly. It was important to enjoy the little things in life, after all, she thought to herself as she absently thumbed through a newspaper. Callie carried on a steady stream of chatter about another local production she was participating in. Why did her sister have to be such a perfectly happy person in the morning? It was downright unnatural.

But, then again, Callie just wouldn't be Callie without her effervescent personality. Despite the solemnity of the day, the blonde tried to brighten the mood anyways. Tana appreciated the effort. Callie had moved in with Tana after High School, attending college classes and participating in local theater productions as she sought a role in a Broadway show. Callie loved the City. Tana considered her sister across the table. If there was anyone that could make it in show business, it was probably Callie. She was talented enough, if a bit gentle-hearted. Few people were as kind as Callie Williams.

Slamming the last of her coffee, Tana quickly finished getting ready. Today was going to be a rough one for Tana, and she was grateful for her sister's gentle presence as they began the short trek to the Lawyer's office.

Their mother and youngest sister, Adriana, were already there and ushered them in quickly. After solemn hugs the Williams family sat down, holding hands in silent solidarity. They quietly supported each other, waiting patiently for the attorney to break the silence. The rustling of papers as he flicked through a file was the only sound in the stiflingly tidy small office for several agonizingly long moments. The name "Mr. Smith" was plastered on a small plaque on his desk, next to a picture of what Tana assumed were grandchildren playing. She looked at him, still shuffling through a folder, his white hair translucent in the fluorescent lighting. Finally, he cleared his throat, glancing at them over the rim of his bi-focal lenses."I'm glad you could all make it. Mr. Williams was adamant that you all be here. He cared deeply for all of you."

Unexpectedly, Taya felt her throat close and tears begin to well in her eyes. She blinked several times, trying to hide the sudden rush of emotion.

The lawyer continued, getting straight to the business of divvying up her Grandpa's estate. Her mom would get the house and land, each of them got a sum of money, and personal artifacts. It all seemed so impersonal. The things that had made her Grandpa so unique being split up, parceled out felt somehow wrong. This whole process was so cold and unfeeling; Grandpa had been warm and loving, if a bit cranky. She shivered as the Lawyer droned on, her mind elsewhere. She replayed memories of her Grandfather, telling her fantastic stories of beasts and goblins, of Kings and Queens, Fairies and Dwarves. How could her warm, loving grandpa, be gone? It just wasn't fair!

Her sister squeezed her hand, bringing her back to the present as if sensing her thoughts. Grateful, she returned the squeeze. She hadn't noticed the tears rolling down her face, and quickly brushed them away. It was almost over. The old attorney's voice saying her name drew her attention back to him.

"And lastly, to Tana." He said. Everything inside of her stilled, unsure what to expect. They'd been close, certainly, but she hadn't truly expected to inherit anything from him; he hadn't had a lot of belongings, preferring a minimalist lifestyle in his later years. Mr. Smith continued, blind to her churning inner thoughts. "The child not of my loins but of my heart, my most prized possession, the Labyrinth. Read it, and believe." With that, he handed her a small red book. Accepting it, she blinked in confusion. Grandpa never once mentioned this book, and they'd shared several stories through the years. Across the table, the old man smiled, barely discernible mischief crinkling the corners of his eyes. "He seemed adamant that you have this, young lady. Seemed to think you'd get something out of it. I suggest you take care with it."

Nodding, she held the book between her fingers, tracing the odd design on the surface. The red cover seemed soft and oddly warm. Gently, she tucked it into her purse as the old man shuffled his papers again and dismissed the group.

The sun felt unnaturally bright, almost surreal after being cloistered in the small, stuffy office. Despite her family's insistence, she declined lunch. She had no appetite after the meeting, though she knew she should. Instead, she made plans to see them the next day. Thankfully, they understood, as she knew they would. After sharing hugs and a few brief tears, Tana decided to walk home. She needed some time alone, and a good long walk with a detour through the park sounded like the cure she needed.

Emotionally drained, it was a relief to step beneath the canopy of lush leaves. The trees whispered to her, comforting her even if she could not hear them anymore. She was soothed nonetheless, her subconscious mind remembering things that Tana had shut out long ago. Taking a long, deep breath, there was a sense of renewal in her steps as she took purposeful strides towards a secluded area of the park.

Here, there was a tree with low branches that she easily pulled herself up into. Smiling and glancing around, she was relieved to see that no one else was in sight. She didn't care that she was a 22 year old adult; right now, she needed this comfort. Sighing deeply, she took out the book, running her fingers over the cover. Why would Grandpa Toby have left her this? There didn't seem to be anything unusual or odd about it. In fact, it was perfectly ordinary. Flipping open to the first page, she admired the elegant script that swirled and danced over the page, spelling out the title: " **Labyrinth** ". As she settled in and began to read, she never once noticed the owl that watched her with keen, intelligent eyes.


	4. Chapter 4: Dream

Chapter Four: Changes

It wasn't until Twilight began to fall that she realized just how late it was getting. She'd been so engrossed in the book, she'd completely lost track of time. Checking her phone, she was relieved that she hadn't missed any calls. Her family must have figured she needed some time alone. Quickly putting the book away, she called a cab and got home as quickly as she could. No young woman in her right mind stayed out after dark alone in this city.

It was a short trip back to the apartment. Quickly thanking and paying the cab driver, she made the climb up two flights of stairs to her door. Callie wasn't home, but she'd left a note about going for drinks with friends. It was just like Callie to drown her sadness with alcohol, Tana thought with a smile. In a way, she was relieved. While she loved her sister dearly, part of her was still craving seclusion. Another part of her was niggling at her to continue reading the book. "Read it and believe?" What was Grandpa Toby playing at?

Making herself comfortable on her sofa with a glass of wine swirling in her hand, Tana studied the small red book. Grandpa Toby seemed to think it was something special, but he always was a bit whimsical. It had been one of his endearing qualities; part of why she'd always felt so completely accepted by him.

Setting her glass down on a side table, she flicked the book open to where she'd left off, reading the first line out loud. "I think I'm getting smarter! The girl exclaimed..." Tana trailed off, smiling as she began reading quietly once again.

Tana had long thought that she had outgrown fairy tales, yet she couldn't tear her eyes from the words that seemed to pull her in. It was almost as if the story were alive, images vividly flashing in her mind's eye. The author, whoever it was, was truly a master storyteller. The characters came to life; the enigmatic and seductively wicked Goblin King, mischievous creatures strealing a screaming baby, and a spoiled heroine, taking her first tenous steps towards adulthood as she raced against the clock.

Engrossed as she was, she jumped when her phone rang, heart unexpectedly racing. _Just the phone_ , she thought to herself as she set the book down and steadied her breathing. Weird she was so jumpy all of a sudden, but then again, she had been preoccupied. Quickly she reached for the phone, eyes glancing at the caller ID. It was an unknown number.

"Well if it's important they'll leave a voicemail" she stated, promptly ignoring the call. An ominous shiver ran down her spine, and she hugged herself. Glancing at the door, she hoped her sister came home sooner rather than later.

Then her phone vibrated with a text message from Callie. "Staying at Brian's, don't wait up! C u in the a.m."

Tana sighed at the mention of Callies on-again, off-again boyfriend. She was also feeling weirdly edgy, and really wished her sister was here. Well, you can't always get what you wish for she thought, resuming her previous position and picking up her wine. Right about now, she was pretty glad she lived on the third floor. Nothing creepy could come in her windows from this height! Reassured, she entirely missed the owl that blinked at her from the trees.

Becoming lost in the little book again, it was nearly midnight before a yawn escaped her. Cursing herself for losing track of time (again!), she firmly shut the book and began her usual night-time ritual.

She couldn't help but feel like she was being watched. Inexplicably nervous, she ensured all the blinds were shut, leaving on a small table lamp in the living room in case Callie decided to come home before sunrise. At least, that was she reassured herself the lamp was for.

As she closed her eyes and began to drift off, a maze, vast and shifting, rose up to meet her. Suddenly finding herself surrounded by smooth stone walls, Tana glanced around. "Where am I?" She wondered out loud, her voice bouncing off the walls. A sudden, high-pitched giggle erupted behind her, but by the time she had spun around, it was gone. Fear snaked its way into her heart, but then a voice, satin-smooth and richly deep, accented and seductive, murmured her name.

"Hello?" She called, walking towards where she thought she'd heard the voice. Another giggle burst from somewhere to her left, but she ignored it, seeking that oddly enticing voice. "Is someone there?"

"Tana" it said again in a thick accent, the rich tenor so close it was like a whisper against her skin. She shivered, tingling with awareness and anticipation that left her breathless. She moved again in the direction she thought it came from.

Now thoroughly lost among high stone walls, she spun around, still seeking the voice. But all that she could see was more of the maze. Apparently, whoever had said her name was gone. High pitched laughter sounded again, closer now, and joined by other chuckles and chortles. Panic now began to rise, and she bolted. Taking off in a sprint, she ran blindly from the grotesque sound of hysterical guffaws following her.

"Get away!" She screamed, though she couldn't see what was chasing her. The sound merely got louder in response.

Rounding a corner blindly, she collided with something, tumbling to the ground with a terrified scream as she slammed to the earth.

Still in a panic, she scrambled to her knees, stumbling as fast as she could from whatever it was that she'd tripped over. "GET AWAY!" she cried, pushing herself to her feet and preparing to launch into another mad dash from this new threat. Her frantic gaze finally landed on what she'd ran into, and she took an involuntary step back as the thing pointed accusingly at her.

"GRAUGH! Watch where you're going!" The creature snapped, meeting her gaze levelly as he rubbed his head, beady eyes irritated.

Since he didn't seem to have any malevolent intent, she hesitated, but remained ready to run away at a moment's notice. Warily, she eyed him, watching him dust off his clothes while muttering under his breath. He certainly didn't look like a threat. He looked like a shriveled old man around three feet tall. "Nearly made me lose my jewels! What's a young girl like you doing in the Labyrinth anyways?!" He groused, eying her again.

"I'm sorry!" She paused, considering if he was a threat or not, before she continued. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah yeah. I ain't fragile ya know. You's didn't answer my question tho. What's a young girl like you doin' in the Labyrinth?

She looked around. "Is that where I am? The Labyrinth?" She smiled. Of course! She'd fell asleep after reading a few chapters of that book; naturally she'd dream about it.

"Yes." He replied shortly, brushing dust off his clothes. Then he settled his gaze back on her. He was short, white tufts of hair poking out under what seemed to be some sort of leather skull cap. Old gray eyes appraised her, as if sizing her up. Shuffling closer on stumpy, short legs, she was able to make out the deep crevices that carved his face. His gaze was not unkind as he came closer, so she held her ground. Strangely, Tana didn't feel any fear, though perhaps she thought she should have.

"Who are you?" She asked him.

The dwarf smiled a bit. "I'm Hoggle. Who're you?"

"Tana."

Hoggle's grinned widened. "That's what I thought. You best be gettin' home though little missy..." He glanced around. "it's gettin dark round these parts, and you's don't wantsta be here when the sun's down."

"I'm not even sure how I got here!" She cried, hugging herself. "I must be dreaming."

"Well that's easy then! Alls you gots to do is wake up!"

"What?"

With that, the giggling around her erupted again. Hoggle frowned. "Welp, nothing to be done for it. A dwarf's gotsta do what a dwarf's gotsta do." So saying, he glanced around, eyes widening in victory when they landed on a bit of wood. "Ah! Here's what we need! A door!".

Taya quite thought he'd lost his mind.

He dragged the wood to the middle of the path and pulled a handle out of his pocket. Attaching it to the wood (she couldn't figure out for the life of her how he managed that), the door swung upwards at his gentle tug, leaving a hole in the ground.

"Alright little miss, now just jump down and you'll be right as rain."

She eyed him suspiciously. "Are you sure this will work? Why should I trust you?"

He sighed. "Well, look at it this way, what choice have ya got?"

The ominous giggling erupted from the bushes again. She sighed in defeat. "You're right." She glanced into the hole, seeing only darkness. There was no ladder. With one last, uncertain glance at Hoggle, who gave her a quick, reassuring nod, she closed her eyes and jumped.

Tana woke up with a shriek, limbs flailing as she landed on the floor of her bedroom. The dream burned bright as day in her mind, almost like it'd been real. Goosebumps erupted on her arms. "Just a dream..." she reassured herself. "Only a dream." Knowing she wouldn't get back to sleep after that, she headed to the kitchen with the intent to make herself a cup of chamomile tea. Maybe that would calm her oddly frazzled nerves.

Putting the water on to boil, her eyes were drawn to the cause of her unrest. The red book sat on her living room table, innocent and plain. It was terribly odd that just reading a book had caused her to have such a spectacularly vivid dream. Her fingers traced the cover, studying the design. An infinity symbol trapped in a sort of upside-down triangle shape, with curved corners at the bottom of the triangle. Strange, she'd never seen this design before she got this book. Lifting it up, she scanned the cover and first page for an author. Nothing. Simply big, swirling letters in elaborate script spelling out "Labyrinth". She was somewhat familiar with symbols through a class she'd taken in school, but nothing here gave anything away. No author, no illustrator, no credits, no publisher, nothing. Frowning, she put the book back down. From the kitchen, she heard the water boil.

"I'm being ridiculous!" She said loudly to her empty apartment, bringing her back down to reality. This was her apartment, in the real world, where magic didn't exist. It was just a dream, nothing more. She had a good life and responsibilities. This was reality.

So why was her heart pounding so hard? Her breathing so rapid and shallow? Why did she feel so excited? So _alive_ for the first time in...ever?

Tana drew several long, deep breaths, steadying her breathing and slowing her racing heart. Nothing was here. No ominous giggles. No silky, satin-smooth voices, just her and her apartment. Heading to the kitchen, she hissed as she bumped her knee into a cabinet. Reaching down to rub the joint, a jolt of horror ripped through her as she felt the raw, torn skin.

Her knee was scraped. Exactly as if she'd fallen.

Tana's brain raced refusing to believe it. No, it couldn't be! There was no way that the dream could have been real! She must have scraped it earlier when she had climbed the tree and just hadn't noticed because of how distracted she was by the book.

Struggling to convince herself and trying to steady her racing pulse, she took a supplament to help with sleep and returned to bed.

Dreams weren't real. She was being ridiculous. Yet she tossed and turn until he pill she'd taken took hold, lulling her into a fitful but dreamless sleep.

An owl slipped silently through the sky, its eyes sparkling in the moonlight as it flew back home.


	5. Chapter 5: Plain

Chapter four: Not so plain

When she woke up, it was to the unnecessary combination of cheerful sunlight and Callie calling her name.

"Tana! Wake up!"

The girl in question yanked the blanket over her head, a large, very cranky part of her regretting immensely that she'd ever agreed to let her sister live with her.

"Hey! Lazy bones! Get up!" And why did Callie have to be so damn perky?

Her voice was exceptionally snippy when she pushed the blankets off her head. "Alright! I'm up already! Jeez!" She skewered her overly-energetic sister with her brown eyes as she sat up. "What is it now?" She knew she was being unnecessarily cranky, but she hadn't slept well.

Callie's eyes twinkled. "Don't you remember? We were all going out for a girls' day!"

She groaned as an image of the Labyrinth swirled in her mind, at the excitement and fear she'd felt. Somehow, despite the terror, she'd felt _so...alive._ Sighing _,_ she sat up and turned her attention to her sister, asking her to make coffee. Honestly, after living together for so long, you'd think Callie would've learned that she couldn't function without the black elixir of life.

She forced a smile as the blonde bounded off to meet her request. Flopping an arm over eyes as she fell back onto the bed, letting out a heavy sigh as she did so. "I wish I didn't have to deal with anything today." she grumbled.

Suddenly, she heard a phone ring in the kitchen, followed by her sister's squeal. "Oh absolutely! I'll be right there!"

Callie stampeded back into her bedroom, leaping onto the bed. "Can we do flowers another day? I got a casting call! They want me to play Ophelia!" Her blue eyes danced with delight and excitement. "I have to get down there right away! Can you believe it!"

No, Tana couldn't. She smiled for her sister and reassured her that they could reschedule, congratulating her warmly. "Thanks sis, you're the BEST!" Callie hugged her sister tightly, adding, "Oh! Can you call mom and tell her too? I'll call her on the way, but she might still want to go to lunch or something with you!"

Tana got out of bed. "Sure thing, sis!"

With another squeeze, Callie charged off and out the door.

Once left alone, Tana snuggled back down into her bed. That dream popped back into her head, along with the creepy giggles. And that dwarf? He'd helped her? Knowing she wasn't going to get any more sleep, she dragged herself out of bed and to where she'd left the little red book. "I scraped my knee on the tree and didn't notice at first. That was a weird coincidence. That's all it was." In no way, whatsoever, had magic been involved. Ignoring the niggling doubt she felt, she put the book back on the side table and began getting ready for the day, starting with the coffee and a call to her mother to cancel their girls' day.

Tana was alone with her reflection. After that restless night, there should have been dark circles under her eyes, her skin should have been dull and lack luster. Instead, she began to notice things she had never noticed before. For one, her eyes were surrounded by unnaturally thick, dark lashes. Looking closer, she could see tiny flecks of gold and green in them. Not a dark circle in sight. She stood on tip-toe, stretching closer to examine herself. Her skin had always been smooth an unmarred, slightly olive in tone, but today, It almost seemed to glow. Lips were full and pouting, upturned at the corners even as she frowned. Shaking her head, she decided to be thankful for small blessings.

Perhaps she wasn't as plain as she'd always thought, after all.

Splashing water on her face, she began her usual morning routine, the morning sun dancing across smooth, perfect dark ringlets of hair.


	6. Chapter 6: Protect

Some time had passed since Toby had passed away in the Goblin Kingdom. It had been several years for the goblin monarchs, scant weeks in the human world.

Despite the passing of time, Sarah leaned forward eagerly in her throne as the wise man spoke.

"Your Majesties" the old man rumbled, bowing to his King and Queen. The Guardian stood nearby, keenly watching their guest. Despite his appearance, the Wise Man was clever and not to be underestimated.

The King inclined his head "Saoi*".

"I wanted to let you know that the book has been passed on, as Queen Sarah's Brother wished."

Sarah leaned forward further, dangerously close to tipping out of her seat. "To whom?"

The wise-man pulled out a piece of paper from a bag on his hip. "The child not of his loins, your Highness."

Satisfied, the Queen smiled widely and leaned back in her throne as the steward took Toby's Will from him.

"Thank you, Saoi." Sarah breathed.

In response, he silently bowed. Dismissed, the steward politely escorted him out.

The King turned to his wife with a small smile. "What has your brother done?"

She grinned. "He gave the book to Tana, the girl I told you about."

"The changeling child?"

Sarah swatted him. "Adopted!"

Jareth simply shrugged. "You know Fae have no understanding of these human things. If a child is not born to a human family, it is simply not their child though they may care for it."

Sarah sighed in defeat, knowing that arguing this point would be fruitless. "At any rate, what do you think we should do with this information?"

King Jareth looked at his son, who had been listening closely. "I believe this is a task for the Guardian to undertake. Perhaps he should look over the girl for her own safety. The gods know how dangerous that thing could be." Catching the mischief in his son's eyes, he added, "you are NOT allowed to touch her, youngling. She is under mine and your mother's protection."

The prince pouted ever-so slightly before sighing in resignation. "Where can I find this girl?"

His father conjured a crystal. "Above, in the human realm. She was raised there, by your human cousins." The crystal twirled around his wrist before settling at his fingertips again. "Because of her connection to the Williams family, she's been protected by our enchantments."

Peering into the crystal, at first, the Prince saw nothing but dark brown hair. "Is she some sort of animal half-breed, like a werewolf? All I see is fur." His father smacked him lightly on the back of his head, while Sarah glared. Her son grinned at her and said "I'm kidding, mother" before turning his attention back to the crystal. The girl in the crystal turned, and the Prince sucked in a sharp breath as her face came into view.

She looked nothing like anyone, or anything, he'd seen before. She had a pretty, heart-shaped face surrounded by loose ringlets. Dark, thick eyelashes framed almond eyes the color of fine milk-chocolate. Full, delicious cherry-colored lips smiled, revealing dimples and perfect white teeth as she tucked a rogue curl of hair behind her ear adorably.

Prince Jareth released his breath. Gently taking the crystal from his father, he asked "Who is she again?"

The king watched his son, seeing the gleam in his eyes. "Her name is Tana Williams, adopted child of your human cousins, the Williams family. I need you to watch over her, and under no circumstance is _any_ thing to happen to her. Are we clear?"

The prince's thoughts were clearly elsewhere. "So we're not related?"

His father shook his head. "Not under the Laws of the Labyrinth or by Laws of Blood, but by your mother's orders, she is to be treated as family."

Sarah nodded in agreement with her husband while their son scowled. "Fine." He grumbled. Reluctantly he transformed into an owl, swooping gracefully out of the castle window.

The King smiled while his Queen watched their son vanish with worry creasing her brow.

Prince Jareth landed on a tree branch, lifting his beak in the air. He could detect the hints of his father's magic nearby. Their family's magic had its own distinct "scent", so to speak. He simply followed it until he found the girl.

It was mid-afternoon. Currently, she was sitting with a human male, perhaps even lover, in a coffee shop, smiling at something or another he said. For unknown reasons, he felt the stirrings of a foreign emotion; he resented this man, the way he pulled a smile so easily from her lips. How dare he reach across the table and stroke her hand? His beak clicked in disapproval as he watched. When she glanced his way, his heart lurched. He didn't know what had come over him, but it was uncomfortable. These were certainly unfamiliar sensations. He decided he wasn't going to dwell on it.

Eventually she bid the human goodbye, kissing his cheek. It was clear from the look in the other man's eyes that he wanted more, but she smiled and made a graceful exit. If the prince had been in his usual form, he would have smirked in satisfaction at the boy's disappointment. His feathered head tilted, studying this girl as she left the shop, a heavy messenger bag slung over her shoulder.

Swiveling his neck, he swooped after her. It was to his advantage that she lived on the outskirts of the city, rather than in the bustling downtown metropolis. At least here, there were plenty of trees for him to maintain his invisible presence. From this vantage point, he was able a good look at her. Petite, he noted. And not built like the women he knew. No, she had curves, the type a man could really grab onto. She was perfectly formed, every inch of her toned and strong. Her hips swayed side to side, and he was entranced by the movement of her perfect posterior. Hypnotized, he followed the movement of that bum as though in a trance. Right, left, right, left...

So entranced, in fact, he flew face first into a tree-branch with a surprised squawk. He clawed and scrambled to grab the branch until he was perched with a huff, feathers thoroughly ruffled.

Startled by the sound, she whirled around. He fluffed himself, grateful he was an owl and his humiliation was hidden by feathers. She smiled amusedly at him, gathering a good idea of what had happened from his rumpled feathers. "Must be too early in the day for you, Mr. Owl. You should really watch where you're going!"

He glared as best he could, shuffling his feathers back into place irritably. She laughed, a lovely, lyrical sound and kept walking on her original path. He should have her bogged for mocking him! And yet...her laughter soothed his irritation, and if he'd been in his usual form, he would have smiled back at her.

Determined not to get distracted again, he followed a little further behind and kept his eyes focused firmly on her unruly espresso-colored hair.

She headed to a park nearby, with a shallow stream bouncing through it. Carefully staying out of sight, he continued to watch as she went to the edge of the water. Tana paused, her eyes glancing around the park. No one else was around. Satisfied, she began to hum a nonsense little tune as she took her shoes off and waded ankle-deep into the water.

The wind picked up around him gently, and she tilted her head as though she was feeling a lover's caress through her hair. Eyes closed in bliss, his own body responded to her pleasure, much to his annoyance. He was grateful he was an owl, and yet he still felt his blood tingling at her little sigh of pleasure. But then the felt it- the slightest tug of magic swirling past him, heading straight towards her.

"Is this why Father wanted me to watch her?" he wondered. The limited magic of the human realm itself seemed to be reaching out to her. He felt it pulling from the trees and drifting in the air towards her, enveloping her. It swirled in the breeze around her, caressing her affectionately with invisible fingers. He lifted his beak into the air. No, this was not his family's magic. This was something else entirely.

She stretched, pushing her full breasts out, an expanse of bare, perfectly toned stomach flashing into view.

His mouth suddenly going dry, Jareth found himself really damned glad he was an owl right now. Otherwise, he'd have had a hard time explaining his lack of restraint to his parents. As it was, he shifted his taloned feet uncomfortably, unable to avert his gaze. Her body was petite and curvy, to be sure, but it was firmly muscled. Her bare skin rippled in the sun as she listened to the happy babbling of the stream swirling around her ankles. As he watched, he could have sworn her skin glowed.

Utter relaxation and peace crossed her face. Releasing a hum of contentment that set his blood rushing as she stepped out of the creek, she glanced around again. Studying her surroundings for evidence of another person. Seeing no one in sight, she reached for a nearby branch and hauled herself up, leaving her shoes by the water.

If she was human, this behavior would have been strange, he thought. Yet feeling the magic around her, he knew in his bones she was definitely not a mere mortal.

That hum of magic that pulsed around her distracted him again, pulsing from the tree itself. He could feel it pulling from the branch beneath him. If not human, what precisely was she? She didn't look Fae, with her perfect full curves and sweetheart face. And yet, there was something oddly...ethereal about her. Alluring. A siren, perhaps? Stranded on land? That would certainly explain his odd pull towards her. He raised his beak, trying to see if he recognized this magic. It seemed familiar, but from where, he couldn't recall.

She continued to hum a strange little tune. Was this how she called on the magic?

His father's words flashed back to him. "You are NOT allowed to touch her". He ruffled his feathers in annoyance. Why did his father have him on baby-sitting duty, watching over a full-grown woman who was clearly fine on her own? After a while, Tana climbed down from the tree. She made it look easy, gliding from branch to branch. He admired the ripple of muscles as she smoothly moved through the branches. Clearly, she'd done this for a while. He hovered a safe distance behind her, determined not to get hypnotized by the sway of those lovely, delightful hips again.

Several days passed. He grew increasingly impatient with each passing hour. Other than the magic she had shown in the park, she seemed perfectly normal. She got up each day, went to work or to class, then back to her apartment.

It was much to his frustration (or was it delight?) that he discovered she never wore a bra at home. In her tight tank tops he could clearly make out the firm mounds and their pert peaks. And if her sister wasn't home, she'd turn on the radio and _dance_ , not knowing anyone was watching.

This was pure hell. That was all there was to it.

Tonight was one of her "home alone" nights, as her sister had decided to go their mother's house for the weekend. He was utterly entranced as she turned on the music, her hands trailing her waist and hips swaying in a way that made his mouth water. It was like she was putting on a private show for her lover as she smiled sultrily to the empty apartment.

He squirmed and swiveled his head away, feathers ruffling as he fought away the impure images that were springing to his mind.

Angry and irritated with his train of thought, he pulled his mind back to his father. He wondered, not for the first time, why he was sent to watch her. Other than being very pretty and apparently possessing a little magic, he saw no other reason for himself to be wasting his time watching her.

He tried to convince himself that his own growing attraction to her had nothing to do with his equally growing impatience. No, nothing at all. He just wanted to get back to his duties as guardian. That was all.

Or at least, that's what he told himself as he watched her peel off her shirt to take a shower, her tanned back looking like the smoothest satin he couldn't touch. He could imagine her perfect, full breasts dripping with water, her smiling sultrily as she willingly exposed those mounds fully to his hungry gaze. She'd toss her head back as he ran his fingers over those full curves as he tasted those cherry lips beneath the heat of the shower raining on them...

" _She is under mine and our mother's protection.._." His father's voice echoed in his mind. " _You are not to touch her in ANY way_."

Irritated, he averted his eyes as she vanished behind the shower curtain, his feathers ruffling. This was, hands down, the worst job, ever. With a huff, he turned his back to the window, determined to follow his father's orders.

This was going to be a long night.


	7. Chapter 7: Watched

a/n: Thank you all for reading! Please don't forget to review! I hope you're all enjoying! as I mentioned in the beginning, this story is in fact completed, although I do consider it a work in progress. This is an updated version of the story- I just can't seem to leave this alone. As I get comments and feedback, I will integrate your thoughts into the story as best I can. I could really use some feedback, so pretty please share your opinions with me in the comments!

Tana and Prince Jareth are mine; Sarah and the Goblin King Jareth belong to Henson

Tana swore she could feel eyes on her as she toweled her hair, a fluffy bathrobe wrapped around her body. With Callie gone (again at Brian's; seriously what did she see in him?), she felt oddly on edge. Closing the blinds self-consciously, she changed into her usual boxer-shorts and tank top for bed. Somehow still feeling uncomfortable, she double-checked all the doors and windows. Everything was locked, everything was safe. Raking a hand through her hair, she glanced around. Why did she feel so uneasy? Images of the dream she'd had a few nights ago crept into her mind, the giggling of goblins ringing in her ears. Her breathing increased. Was it possible...?

No, she told herself firmly. It wasn't possible. Stop being ridiculous. She was letting her imagination get the better of her again.

A knock on the door startled her, snapping her out of her train of thought. Her heart pounded as she slowly crept forward, peeking through the eye-hole as another knock rang through the apartment. Releasing a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, she smiled as she recognized the face on the other side of the door. She'd forgotten about her study date with Caleb.

"Just a minute!" she called. She threw on a hooded sweatshirt, tossing her hair into a sloppy bun before letting him in.

She greeted him with a chaste kiss on his cheek, which he returned with an affectionate hug, picking her up off the floor. Giggling and swatting him playfully until he set her down, she closed the door behind him. Caleb had been here often, making himself comfortable at her table while Tana got two glasses of water. Pulling up the project on his laptop, they got straight to work.

She tried to pretend that she was focused on the project. Really, she did, but she just couldn't stop thinking about the Labyrinth, and the unsatisfied yearning that was stirring within her. Noticing her far-off look, Caleb tapped her forehead. "Tana? You in there?"

Swatting his hand away she gave him a small smile. "Sorry, having a hard time focusing today. Maybe we can pick this up Wednesday?"

He agreed readily with a charming smile, his eyes warm and understanding.

Guilt tugged at her heart. He was such a kind, sweet man. The kind most girls dreamed of marrying. Handsome, well-educated and hard working. He adored her and her family adored him. Tana couldn't begin to say why he didn't strike passion within her when they touched, but he was comfortable. Being with Caleb was like being wrapped in your favorite blanket; soothing, easy.

He moved closer, sliding a hand up her thigh suggestively as he kissed her gently. Halting the progress of his hand, she felt guilty for lying to him by telling him that Callie would be home any minute. Callie wouldn't be home until late Sunday afternoon. It was a white lie, but she just couldn't make love to him; not tonight. Not in the way he deserved. He kissed her goodbye, communicating his affection with his gentle touch. She wished she could reciprocate his feelings as she hugged him close.

Tana didn't see the owl in the tree bristle at the kiss she'd shared, or at Caleb's advances. She didn't see the pleased smoothing of those same feathers when she gently turned him away. There was no way she could know that something dormant stirred within that bird, something unfamiliar and prickly. Feral and wild. She didn't see how his eyes shot daggers at the man as he left the building and drove off.

She flopped on her couch, rubbing her eyes. Then, she did something the owl wasn't ready for.

She started to cry.

Now, he'd made women cry before. Tears were nothing new. But this, this was different. This was a woman full grown and in control of her life, when she thought no one was looking, gently caving in to her deepest insecurities. She wasn't begging for him to love her, like most of the tears he'd seen women shed. It wasn't like his mother, weeping over the loss of one of the residents in the Labyrinth. No, this was just a few, silent, quiet tears sliding down her face. This was a woman who tried to stay strong in front of everyone else, but deep down, she was crumbling.

And something deep inside him really, really didn't like seeing her upset. It snapped and growled, demanding he act.

Several moments passed before she pulled herself back together, simply sitting still and taking deep, therapeutic breaths. Finally, she went to the bathroom and splashed cool water on her face. For a moment, she stared into the mirror as though debating something, before she headed to her room.

Why was she so restless and dissatisfied? Even Tana didn't know. She didn't understand why her own gentle rejection of Caleb had triggered her tears. She didn't understand why her heart had plummeted, thoughts rampaging through her that there must be something _wrong with her_ to turn down such a great guy. Why did she feel so incredibly empty and alone? Why couldn't she _love_ Caleb?

That night, she slept little. She tossed and turned, and each time she closed her eyes, nightmares plagued her. Nightmares of a dark, looming figure and sinister giggling chasing her through a never-ending corridor.

She woke up with a scream, sitting bolt upright and turning on her lamp as fast as she could. Her breathing slowed as she gathered her wits. Just a dream.

A scratching sound, just outside her window, froze her blood cold. Goosebumps covered her arms, and slowly, barely daring to breathe, she looked towards the window. The sound of her own heartbeat was unnaturally loud, a staccato against her ribs. Knuckles white as she held the blanket like a protective barrier, she dared a glance at the glass separating her from whatever horror lurked outside.

The owl tilted its head, tapping at her glass with a claw curiously. She relaxed immediately, seeing it. Laughing a little hysterically at herself, she spoke to the owl. "You scared the shit out of me, you know that?" Standing up to crack open her window, she tried to shoo the bird away, flipping her hand at it. "Shoo!" Tana shouted, hoping to scare it off. To her dismay, it just danced around her hand, looking as annoyed as a bird could possibly look. She got annoyed right back.

"Oh go _on_ now! Surely you've got some mice or something you should be hunting!"

It ruffled its feathers in indignation, and she swore it gave her a dirty look. "If I feed you, will you go away?" she groused, glaring at the bird perched on her windowsill, hands on her hips. "I'd like to try to get some sort of sleep tonight and I don't need you scaring the daylights out of me."

Amazingly, the bird shook its head, clicking its beak. She stared at it, shocked. "You can understand me?" Its feathered head bobbed in affirmation.

"Well why didn't you say so?" she teased, and opened the window enough for the bird to swoop inside.

It landed on a nearby chair, looking for all the world like an indignant little snob as it looked down its beak at her.

"Now, what might your name be?" she mused, eying the bird. "I wish you could tell me!" she joked, smiling. The bird looked smugly pleased and then, it began to change.

It grew. The feathers vanished into clothes, wild dark blond hair sprouting from its scalp. Broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist, and she swallowed, hard, when those mis-matched eyes landed on her. High, chiseled features with a strong jawline and smooth, perfect skin.

He was by and far the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen.

And she'd just tried to shoo him away out her window.

Gaping, she barely managed to spit out a sound that vaguely resembled "Who?"

"Call me Jareth, Prince of the Labyrinth."


	8. Chapter 8: Animosity

This is an updated version of the original. Please let me know what you think of the story so far- if you read the original version you have likely noticed many of the significant changes I've made so far. I was hoping to clear up some of the confusion that the earlier version seemed to have caused. Let me know if I have achieved my goal! Thank you!

Tana's mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. He crossed his arms, looking annoyingly smug. For some reason, it was that expression that got her brain working again, and she glared at him defiantly.

"Ok, I have no idea how you just pulled that little trick, but I need you out of my apartment, NOW."

Those Mis-matched eyes narrowed, and he tisk'd, a teasing sound somehow laced with a threat. "You would do well to address me with the proper respect."

"SO sorry, your Prince-ness."

The mild annoyance in his eyes was replaced by something fore more menacing. "Careful, Tana; you don't know what I am capable of."

His voice, just an octave lower and combined with his words, sent a shiver of fear and desire shooting down her spine. She felt her heart racing, senses heightened with the conflicted reactions warring within her. "H-How do you know my name?" Gently bumping against the wall, another thrill of fear went through her as she realized she was cornered. Watching every movement this 'Prince' made, she looked for any sort of weapon within reach. Why did she ever decide to be a minimalist? Jareth paused, appearing to study her as though she was some sort of science experiment. There was something bird-like to the tilt of his head, and a realization hit her as she recalled that a few minutes ago, he'd been an owl. "Have you been __spying__ on me?!"

Somehow, he managed to make rolling his eyes elegant. " _ _Spy__? What purpose would spying on you achieve?"

Then what did he call watching her without her permission?! Refusing to let his logic cloud her indignation, she snapped at him. "I don't know. __You__ were the one at __my__ window, so you tell me!" she demanded, mustering up her courage marching up to him and poking him in the chest.

Did she just __poke__ him? Amusement warred with irritation. The gall of this girl! Almost lazily he captured the wrist attached to her offending appendage, capturing the other when she moved to pry his hand off. Gripping both of her wrists over her head with a firm, but not painful grip, he informed her: "Princes do not __spy__ on women" He pinned her easily, despite her enjoyable wiggling. Her scent rose to meet him. Spicy-sweet, he decided she smelled like cinnamon or a finely mulled wine. The deliciousness of her aroma had him wondering if she tasted as delicious as she smelled. His gaze lingered on her lips, their cherry color tantalizing him to find out.

That hungry look suddenly made her very aware that she was only wearing a thin tank top and boxers as heat rose to her face. She shivered. He leaned closer, his musky scent sending her heart stuttering as his breath brushed over her ear, sending a shiver down her spine as he whispered lowly. "No, never spy. We seduce."

Heat flushed to her face as heat pooled between her legs. She ceased her squirming temporarily, another intoxicating rush of warmth running through her. She was both mortified and aroused, torn between pushing away and pulling closer. Stubbornly she refused to let him see her discomfort. Instead she glared as he pulled away.

He continued speaking as he pulled back, his mis-matched eyes boring holes into her. "I was ordered here by the King to watch you. Gods only knows why- a mannerless thing like you should be bogged!"

"Well why don't you go ask him and get the hell out of my apartment!" she snapped.

He bristled, releasing her wrists in frustration. "My father must be getting senile to think there's anything remarkable about you!" he snarled.

"Your _father_ clearly has more sense than you do!"

And with that, they glared in silence.

She was the one to speak first, breaking the stare-down. She decided to try a different tack, hoping to buy herself some time until she could get to her phone and call for help. "You're father is the King, you said? From where? And why on earth is he worried about me?"

He gave her a elegant half-hearted shrug in response. "I haven't the slightest idea as to why he is concerned for you."

"You didn't answer my other question."

"You should have figured it out by now, you're a clever girl." He groused, his eyes sliding pointedly to where "Labyrinth" rested innocently on the side table, where she'd left it.

She took the opportunity to get further away from him. Marching to the book, she made a point of giving it a slow perusal, flipping through a few pages as she discreetly scanned the room for her phone. This couldn't be real, she thought. The Goblin King didn't exist. and yet, there was a thrill of excitement running through her. What if he really was the Prince of the Labyrinth? She did just see him turn into a person in front of her eyes. Another rush went through her entire body. Somehow, she was Feeling more alive now than she ever had, even though she knew she should be scared. Tana glanced from the book the the man observing her curiously. It couldn't be, could it?

There was one way to find out. Smiling mischievously, she put her hands on her hips. "I wish the Goblins would take you away, Right Now!"

Suddenly everything went dark. Panic replaced her excitement, her wide eyes looking at the prince as a rumble of thunder shook the building. He smirked. Suddenly familiar giggles filled the room as lightning flashed outside. Her heart raced wildly as she spun, desperately trying to catch the movements that happened at the corner of her vision, but they were gone before she could get a look. Her voice quivered nervously as she heard herself ask "What's going on?"

His lips tipped up roguishly. "You called for the Goblins, so here they are. My subjects."

"What?!" She squeaked out, another movement under her couch catching her eye.

Brown, wrinkly little creatures began materializing around his knees. "Ooooh Princey, you gots to go to the Labyrinth!" The ugly little thing cackled.

Screaming in alarm, she jumped away from the goblins.

Jareth rolled his eyes. "Go back to the Labyrinth, all of you!"

"But...Lady made a wish...Queen would not be happy...'s in the rules..."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he glared at the creature. "I'm your Crown Prince, and I say go back to the Labyrinth before I bog the lot of you!"

With a terrified little squawk, the creatures vanished, the lights returning.

Tana, eyes wide, pinched herself before she looked at the Prince standing in front of her, fear and uncertainty flashing as realization dawned on her. "So it's true..." She couldn't keep the awe out of her voice. Jareth raised an eyebrow, looking smug. It was that irritating expression that helped her gather her composure once more. Puffing herself up and looking remarkably like an irate chipmunk, she did her best to snarl at him. "I still want YOU gone! Magic man or not!" she glared, stomping her foot.

"I'm under orders." He stated smoothly.

She waved her hand. "Yeah yeah, the king, right?" She stomped off towards the kitchen. "Well, why don't you call him then and get _him_ to let you off my tail?" Turning her head, she was alarmed at how _close_ he'd somehow gotten. Refusing to be intimidated, she spun to face him with a look that she hoped promised murder. She was certain the effect was entirely lost however, when she had to tilt back her neck to look him in the eye. Dammit, why was he so tall? And...and... she found herself ensnared in the most fascinating and intense gaze she'd ever seen. One orb was a brilliant, bright blue while the other was a flawless emerald green. From this close, she caught the full ferocity of those eys, a glare that should have had her running for the hills. Instead, she felt her heart racing fiercely, an unfamiliar warmth rushing through her from head to toe. Swallowing hard, she pressed back into her counter. Her kitchen, usually spacious enough for her purposes, suddenly felt positively claustrophobic. They were practically touching!

Blushing, she started to try to side-step past him. "Can you please move? There's not a lot of room in here!" She was horrified to hear her own voice, an octave too high and nervous for the brave facade she'd been working on.

He didn't budge. Rather, he stepped closer and pinned her to the sink, hands on either side of her. Her breathing stopped, eyes betraying her nerves. The heat from his body made her shiver, although from fear or desire, she couldn't tell anymore.

"What are you?" He demanded, green and blue slicing into her.

She blinked. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She pushed against his chest. "Now please get away from me!"

Ignoring her entirely, he brought his right hand to her face. Firmly grabbing her chin between his fingers, he studied her closely. His intense perusal was somehow more intimate than his touch. Tana felt her heart pounding so hard it hurt. Seemingly entirely unaware of the effect he was having on her, he continued speaking "Not fair-featured enough to be a Fae, but not as delicate as an elf..." the prince muttered. "Sorceress, perhaps?

She gritted her teeth and slapped him hard enough that he stumbled back.

She whirled on her heel, now enough space between them for her to escape into the living room.

Jareth followed, cursing in rage. "How DARE you slap the Crown Prince of the Labyrinth?!"

Those brown eyes snapped at him. "I'll slap whomever I think NEEDS a good slapping, whenever I please!"

He snagged her wrist, dragging her hard against him. "Watch yourself, you _precious thing._ I might not be so forgiving every time you give into one of your tantrums."

Instead of being cowed, as he anticipated, she reached up and yanked a lock of his hair hard enough to tilt his head sideways. Faster than humanly possible, he ripped her hand away and slammed her against a wall, burning daggers into her with his eyes. " _How DARE You!"_ He seethed, their faces inches apart.

"I WILL NOT be threatened in my own home, Goblin Prince or NOT!"

She moved to bring her leg up to kick at him, but he pressed his pelvis into her, pinning her further to the wall. Unwelcome heat surged through her. God dammit, that was NOT the reaction she needed right now! Her body surged to life against her will, responding to the friction between their bodies wantonly.

"Get. Away. From. Me." She ground out, refusing to be afraid of this man. Despite the anger simmering in his eyes, somehow Tana knew he would not hurt her. She didn't know if it was intuition or instinct, but despite everything, he would not truly hurt her.

The prince merely adjusted his grip, using one large hand to hold both of her dainty wrists together. His now free hand grabbed her chin.

Her fierce gaze challenged him, defying him. Instincts he hadn't known he possessed snarled in response, demanding he win this battle of wills.

" _Tana_ " He snarled the word like a curse, before he bruisingly crushed his lips to hers.

Like dropping a match on pure gasoline, an inferno blazed through her body, meeting his punishing kiss with her own demanding want. Deep in her throat, a moan escaped her, and in response his pelvis pushed harder against her, driving her further away from sanity. Through her hazy senses, she realized he was equally aroused; _and oh dear god was that seriously what she thought it was? He was HUGE._

And with that, her brain turned off completely as her carnal instincts overtook any rational thought she may still have had. She was engulfed in his heat, his scent. The firmness of his body pressed against hers drove her beyond sanity. Of its own accord her body arched against his, foreign sounds escaping her as she wantonly pulled him closer. Their tongues danced and battled, both seeking dominance over the other. Her fingers tangled into his hair; and she felt as though she was melting, burning with a fever she had never known.

It was Jareth's own feral growl that brought him back to reality.

Abruptly he ripped himself away from her as though she had scorched him. His hands had somehow found their way to her hips, which he instantly released in horror as he practically leaped away from her. Breathing hard he stood, glaring at her. What was it about her that was pressing every nerve that he had? What was it about her that had him losing control? Rioting emotions he'd never known snapped and roiled within him.

" _What did you do to me?"_ He snarled.

Anger surged in her as she traded one passion for another "Excuse me! YOU kissed Me!" Yanking a hand through her hair, she struggled to rein in the riot of emotions swirling inside of her. "What the hell was that?"

The Prince glared, angry that she'd caused him to lose control and no longer trusting himself to speak.

At his silence, she stomped off. "I'm going to the Bathroom, your _highness._ And I want you _gone_ when I get out!" From behind the bathroom door, he heard her shout "I liked you better as a bird!"

And when she came out of the bathroom, he was gone.


	9. Chapter 9: Home

Thank you all for the love! I can't tell you how thrilled I am that you are connecting with Tana as a character! I adored the constructive feedback I got from a couple of reviewers- I hope you know who you are!

To address some of your questions and comments:

I'm glad the length of my chapters feels "Just enough" to give detail! I was concerned that they were actually getting too long. All of them were between 3-5 pages in word, so there will be some chapters shorter and some longer.

For Sarah and Jareth's relationship: I'm glad you like it! They're both such strong people, I couldn't imagine their relationship being anything short of electric once they worked out the kinks between them.

This is an updated chapter from a previous version.

Thank you so much for your reviews! They are highly valued! :

Tana woke up the next morning, convinced it had all been a dream. _A very sexy, realistic dream._ She smiled to herself. The smell of coffee drifted to her, bringing a smile to her face.

"Callie?" she called, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. "You finally learned to make coffee before disturbing me!" She teased, rounding the corner to the kitchen, expecting to see her willowy sister smiling back at her. Rounding the corner, she stopped in her tracks, her breath catching.

That most definitely wasn't Callie.

That was, however, the Goblin Prince. Standing in her kitchen, watching the coffee brew like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Shirtless.

Tana swallowed. Hard. He was chiseled and lean, his dark, dirty-blonde hair falling to his shoulders. Those muscles rippled delightfully as he turned, raising an eyebrow at her. _And his pants!_ Buttery soft and skin-tight, they left little to the imagination as a deep "v" shape of muscles disappeared below the edge of those ridiculously thin leg coverings, hiding little else. The memory of his bruising kiss played in her mind, and heat flared to her face.

She wanted to be infuriated that he was still here after assaulting her in her own freaking home, but _God dammit_ did he look like the best one-night stand she'd ever laid eyes on. Catching her staring, he grinned, raising his arms with a roguish sparkle in his eyes. "Like what you see?" he purred.

Mentally she kicked herself for getting caught staring. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she vehemently denied it. "No! Who would want unsanitary man sweat all over their kitchen!" And then, after a pause, she exploded. "Why are you here?! And how did you get in?!" And why, she mentally asked herself, was he acting like nothing happened yesterday?

"I told you," he replied, all velvety smooth seduction, "Orders. And," he wiggled his fingers for effect, "Magic".

Rolling her eyes, she marched to the fridge, hoping the cold air would calm her heated face.

Grabbing a yogurt for herself, she waved it at him. "You want one?"

At his dismissive shrug, she gave it a well-aimed throw at his face. He caught it easily, biceps flexing. Damn. She'd really been hoping to hit him square on the forehead, considering she would really like to see his smug, handsome face slathered in a dairy product right about now.

Why did he have to look so damn good first thing in the morning? It wasn't fair! Grumpy, she stomped out to the living room to eat it, as far from the obnoxious prince as she could get.

Jareth came out of the kitchen, two cups of coffee in hand.

"Want one?" He asked, extending a steaming mug in her direction; a peace offering.

Warily accepting, she asked "It's not enchanted or drugged is it?"

At his bemused expression and negative shake of his head, she took a sip. The bitter black elixir seemed to sooth her very soul. Giving a slight hum of approval, her eyes closed. At least he made a good cup of coffee. More to herself than anything, she murmured "It really is the simple things in life." Opening her eyes, she added "I don't know how you know how to make coffee, but Thank you".

Jareth looked away, suddenly uncomfortable with her warm, appreciative chocolate gaze on him. "My mother was mortal once. She insisted I spend some time learning these Aboveground ways." Something warm spread across his chest, and he shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny. What was it about this woman that was striking every nerve he had? _And that kiss yesterday_. Her defiance, the challenge in her cocoa eyes, had made something inside him snap. And dammit, he wanted _more_. Unconsciously, his eyes dipped to her lips. They'd felt so soft, her passion matching his, even as they'd battled for dominance. It had been the single most erotic kiss he'd ever experienced. Was it her lineage? Something in her very blood, calling out to him like a siren song?

Setting the coffee down, she raised her eyes to his again, full of questions. "Your mother was mortal once? What do you mean?"

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he answered her question. "Yes, She was mortal, until she became my father's Mate and Queen. In doing so, she became part Fae herself."

Tana pondered this, wondering what type of woman could, or would, marry one of these infuriating "Fae" creatures. But then again (she stole a glance at Jareth, who was sipping his coffee), she could see the appeal; there was no denying his physical beauty. Her stomach squirmed, remembering the feel of his body pinning her to the wall. Feeling hot again, she shook her head, sparing a glance at the clock.

"Ok, so today I've got to go to work. I'm sure you have other princely duties to attend to back home. So I'm going to go ahead and assume I'm not going to see you later, ok?"

He smirked slightly, turning his blue-green gaze to her. "Trust me, little nymph, I'll be keeping an eye on you".

Suppressing a shiver at his velvet-smooth voice, she stood up and rolled her eyes at him. It disturbed her, how simultaneously natural and unnatural it felt for him to be here. Tana didn't want to think about those conflicting feelings as she brushed her teeth and finished her morning routine. Slinging a light jacket over her shoulders, she glared at him for the umpteenth time this morning. "You're NOT staying here while I'm gone."

He grinned, but made no promises. Exasperated, she slammed the door hardly than strictly necessary, but couldn't quite contain her smile when she saw an Owl swoop past her as she walked to work.

Several hours later, Tana was having a hard time focusing.

Clients called her, and her distraction made it difficult for her to focus on their concerns and requests. Her mind kept wandering to a beautifully sculpted man with strange, mismatched eyes, no matter how hard she tried to stay on task. It didn't help that every time she glanced out the window, he'd be sitting in a tree, blinking innocently at her.

If looks could kill, he'd have been dead multiple times over.

By the end of the day, she was completely fried. Every time something moved just outside of her field of vision, she instantly would turn, convinced there would be a goblin grinning maniacally at her. Of course, no such thing happened. It also didn't help that Jareth following her every movement made her self-conscious in a way that had her analyzing herself every second. Exhausted and feeling ready to snap by the time she marched out of the office, Tana decided not to go straight home. If there was one thing that could calm her and make her refocus, it was her favorite park. Knowing the path by heart, it didn't take long before she was settling comfortably on a thick branch far from prying eyes.

Surrounded by green and soothed by the sunlight playing through the leaves, she felt herself begin to relax for the first time since the Prince had literally flown into her life. The embrace of the wood and soothing breeze calmed her almost instantly, grounding her in a way she couldn't begin to explain. Letting out a breath as the tension began to drain out of her, she spared a glance at the root cause of her frustration. He perched nearby, watching her closely with those big, owly eyes. Feeling better and a bit mischievous, she stuck her tongue out at him. His responding glare and indignant ruffle of his feathers made her giggle.

Choosing to ignore him for the time being, she closed her eyes and leaned back against the trunk to collect her thoughts. A day ago, she didn't believe in magic. Today, she was being followed by a gorgeous shape-shifting fairy-tale prince. Jareth's flawlessly chiseled form sprung to her mind, and she cracked her eye to peer at the owl watching her curiously. She was far less affected by his presence when he wasn't half-naked making coffee.

Actually, he was kind of cute as a bird, with his big eyes and downy feathers. She had the strangest urge to pet him, see if those feathers were as soft as they looked. Tana smiled at the thought, figuring he'd probably consider such a thing too undignified for royalty. It was such a pity that his personality got in the way when he was in his usual, undeniably flawless male form. She suppressed a shiver at the mental image of him in her kitchen, that odd warmth starting in the pit of her belly again.

Frowning a bit at her own wayward thinking, she closed her eyes once more and thought back to the dream she'd had of the Labyrinth. Somewhere, deep down, she'd sensed it wasn't just a dream. Something about it had felt like it called to her. That voice. Recalling it sent a shiver down her spine. It had sounded somewhat like the Prince's deep tenor, and yet had held a sinister edge to it. She shivered again. But strangely, despite the fear, she felt like she needed to go to the Labyrinth. Almost like she belonged there.

Of course, that was simply ridiculous. How could she crave something she'd never known? Then again, if someone had told her that she'd be followed around by a goblin prince a week ago, she would have laughed her ass off and said they were off their rocker.

This was her real life now. Excitement, anticipation, fear, all swirled within her, threatening to overwhelm her entirely. Straddling the branch, her nails dug into the bark as she tried to grasp her reeling emotions.

Jareth tilted his head in concern. She looked to be in some kind of distress, but what could he do? At the moment, he was just a bird and he was strictly forbidden from transforming in public places. The trees rustled, almost as if in response to her distress. Looking around, he noted that the breeze had also increased. Again, he looked at Tana. Could this be her doing? Or was it merely a coincidence?

There was no way to know for sure. Eventually, she appeared to calm down and returned home. For now, he opted to remain outside, a quiet observer from an open window.

From her kitchen, she slid a glance to the Prince. Should she invite him in? Despite everything, he didn't seem to be dangerous to her. But then again, how could she know for sure? Weren't Faeries known for being tricksters? Worrying her lip and pushing her concerns aside for the moment, she began to search for something for dinner. Finding the ground beef she'd pulled out the day before to thaw, she realized now might be a good time to use it. She needed a distraction anyways, and homemade spaghetti and meatballs sounded good. Making it always brought her comfort; It was one her grandfather and her had made often together.

Mixing the meat and seasonings allowed her thoughts to settle as she pondered what to do about the magical being sitting outside. Absently forming perfect, round spheres with her hands while a skillet heated, she glanced again at the prince. His attention appeared riveted on the pan, much to her amusement. Men, even magical ones, were still men, and the quickest way to win them over was always with food. This was the perfect opening. Raising her voice, she called out to him. "Hungry?"

Reluctantly, he nodded and swooped in. Grinning widely, she pulled out two plates and piled them high with the pasta and sauce. "Well, come on in then!"

He didn't hesitate to swoop in, transforming quickly.

She grinned. "Hope you like it!"

Sniffing the plate suspiciously, he glanced at her. "You didn't do anything to it?"

Tana rolled her eyes. "You literally watched me make it. What could I have possibly done to it?"

Glaring, he took a deliberate bite, then begrudgingly acknowledged that it was good.

This did wonders for her pride, and emboldened her to ask him about his home. "What's the Labyrinth like?"

For the first time since she'd met him, his face softened and a genuine smile curved his lips. "It's a place of magic. Nothing is ever what it seems."

Considering her next words carefully before she spoke, she pressed a question to him. "If someone wanted to see it, could they?"

He tilted his head, those beautiful eyes analyzing her carefully. "I have never had that particular question asked. Those who come to the Labyrinth are wished-away, seeking a wished-away, or seeking the throne."

"The girl in Grandpa's book was looking for her brother..." She murmured, looking at him from under her lashes.

"There is so much more to it than what's in that little book."

Her head tilted in curiosity. "Like what?"

Once he began talking about his home, it was as though the floodgate had opened.

Stories upon stories of the sort her grandfather had told her – of Goblins and Fairies, Kings and Queens, defeats and triumphs. Tana drank in his tales. The stories may have been similar to the ones she'd loved as a girl, but the way they were told ensnared her. His eyes filled with nostalgia as he relived memories, recounting events in a way that only someone who had been there in person really could. He breathed life into his tales, filling them with details and a depth of emotion her grandfather never could have.

Eventually she had to reluctantly turn into bed. She'd fought one too many yawns listening to him and her eyelids had grown painfully heavy. Ensuring he was comfortable enough, she bid him good night before shutting and locking her own door firmly.

Later, as he laid one the couch under a blanket she'd given him, unable to sleep, he wondered why he'd told her so much. What sort of magic was this, that words had spilled from him with such ease at the slightest prodding from her gentle doe-eyes? Such were the thoughts of a Prince as he drifted into a restless slumber.


	10. Chapter 10: Intervention

I don't own King Jareth, although if I did, the things I'd do...

Chapter 10: Royal Intervention

In his study, feet resting on the polished mahogany desk as he leaned back in his chair, the King casually rolled a crystal across his hands. He couldn't suppress a smile as he considered his son's predicament.

This had not been entirely unexpected, but it was still a most delightful turn of events. Jareth's smile widened further, his heir's confused face sliding across the surface. There was something immediately recognizable swirling in the midst of his son's frustrated, mis-matched eyes.

Oh yes, he knew. He recognized unfamiliar feelings swirling across his son's face, confounding the boy. The King remembered vividly how it felt the first time he'd met his Queen. The sensation had thrummed from deep within him, something primitive and ancient humming to life. His mind wander to the sole object of his adoration as he thought back to how his mate came to be his. His Sarah had been so infuriatingly defiant! The King had suspected when he'd first seen her, but it wasn't until She had defied him for the second time, ripping herself from his arms, that he'd fully realized who she was to him. His wife, always so strong, always so opinionated. The only one to ever truly defy him. He had known, in that second, that she was the one. Even now, just picturing her perfect face with its piercing, emerald eyes made those ancient instincts stir.

As he watched his son staring after a lovely little brunette flouncing out the door, he knew. It was rare for the King to know something about his children that his wife didn't. He savored this for a moment, but he would have to tell her sooner or later.

He wasn't sure how his wife would react to this particular development. As far as Underground laws were concerned, Tana's parentage was of unknown origin. His wife, being human, was the only one squeamish about the legal human adoption that had taken place in the Above-ground. If the girl became part of the underground, she would be regarded as an orphan unless her real parents could be found. And he wasn't so sure it was a good idea for them to be located.

King Jareth had a gnawing suspicion about exactly who her sire was. The girl bore some resemblance to a neighboring king; and if he was correct, her life could be in danger.

King Hreidmar was a vicious ruler, with a fiercely jealous Queen. Jareth managed to keep peace with them, but only just. Things had been particularly strained since he had sided with the Nymphs when Hreidmar had attempted to overtake their lands. He also found Hreidmar's personal conduct decidedly distasteful. Whispers told tales of bastard children he'd fathered in brothels being mercilessly slaughtered by his wife to hide his indiscretions, to ensure there were no other potential heirs to threaten her own children's claim to the throne.

While Jareth kept what other Kings did in their personal conduct out of their business dealings, it had served him well over the years to not be blind to such things. If, for example, a human servant had found herself bearing the cruel king's child, it would have made sense that she would have taken the risk to send the child to the Human world for their protection, despite the potential harm they could face. Fae children, separated from the magic that was an essential part of their life blood, often died earlier than the humans that cared for them. Or, worse, the humans, sensing their uniqueness, shunned the child.

If Hreidmar was truly the girls' father, undoubtedly there would be an attempt on her life. As she was under the Goblin Monarchy's protection, an attempt on her life meant nothing less than war between their kingdoms. It was fortunate that she had found her way to the William's family. Sarah had placed protection magic around her family decades ago, and that had likely kept the girl safe from detection.

However, now that she had read the book, her safety would likely be compromised.

Before taking any action however, he needed to know for sure that she was Hreidmar's daughter. Forming a crystal, he whispered a summons. He didn't need to wait long before his request was answered. Gradually, soft white mist began to create a pillar in the throne room, becoming darker and firmer as it solidified into the form of a woman. Wearing a long, pale blue gown that contrasted sharply with her dark olive skin and shiny, blue-black hair, she needed no other adornment to command attention. Holding herself with all the regal grace of her position, she seemed much taller than her mere four and a half feet. Golden eyes met the mismatched blue of the king as an equal. Taking a light step towards him, she greeted him warmly. "Jareth, what a surprise." There were no need for formalities here; they were old allies. Raising one slender hand, he gently kissed the back of it in greeting quickly before stepping away.

"So good of you to answer me one such short notice, Fenlie."

"I assumed it must be important."

Guiding her to a sitting area, he summoned tea. "Perhaps. How are things in the Nymph Kingdom?"

She smiled at him warmly at his smooth change in subject. She'd always held a soft spot for the mischievous boy. As a prince, he'd spent quite a bit of time with her people. Once he rose to the throne, he had treated the Nymph folk fairly and was well-liked among her people. In fact, her alliance with the Goblin King had saved her own Kingdom from the wrath of their mutual neighbor, Hreidmar, many years ago. Had the Goblin King not threatened war on her behalf after a surprise attack on her border, she had no doubt that she would have been overwhelmed easily. Thanks to Jareth's intervention, Hreidmar had backed down. Unfortunately, in the attack she had suffered heavy losses.

Shaking off the unpleasant memories, she leaned back into her seat. "It has been far too long, my King." Then she glanced around the room curiously. "Will Sarah be joining us?"

Jareth smiled. Fenlie was quite fond of Sarah, finding his wife's sharp wit refreshing. "I'm sorry to say that she is visiting with our daughter today. She will be disappointed to discover she missed your visit."

Fenlie was disappointed as well. "Perhaps another time then. I'd enjoy having her visit my castle, to see how the markets are thriving after we opened trade negotiations with the merfolk."

"Of course. I will inform her of your invitation." Pouring the tea, there was a companionable silence for a moment.

Fenlie took a polite sip. "How are things in the capital?" she asked.

He inclined his head to her. "As well as can be expected when one is ruling the Goblins."

She chuckled. "Not an enviable task, to be certain. But surely, you did not call me here for such pleasantries."

He smiled at her. Decades of friendly relations meant she knew him well. Conjuring a crystal, he got to the point of this visit. "Quite right. I'm seeking to discover the parentage of a young woman that was sent to the human realm. I believe she is half-fae, and I was hoping to appeal to your friendship to help uncover this puzzle".

Now this she hadn't expected. Fenlie raised one perfectly arched eyebrow at him. It was unusual for Jareth to take interest in matters such as this. "This girl must be very special for my King to inquire about her."

Jareth simply smiled, rolling the crystal across his hands before handing it to her. Glancing at him before looking into it, her eyes widened a fraction. He thought he saw a brief flash of recognition in her eyes, but it was gone quickly.

"Something wrong, Fenlie?"

Snapping her gaze back to him, she adopted an air of nonchalance. "Not at all. May I ask why this girl is of interest?"

"She was adopted by Sarah's family in the above-ground. It is for her safety that we discover her true lineage."

The nymph gave a quick, short nod. "I understand."

"I trust you to have discretion in this matter?" He said, drawing her eyes back to his.

Fenlie nodded, a strand of hair falling into her face with the motion. "Of course. You have my word no one will hear of this." She lifted the crystal to eye-level, studying the girl. "Consider it done"

It was widely known that the Nymph-folk had a well-connected information network. Charming people, they easily found their ways into the highest courts. In time, they had become one of the most powerful kingdoms to deal with. Jareth was certain that if anyone could discover the girl's lineage, it was the Nymphs. He was glad he could count her as a loyal ally.

After exchanging a few other pleasantries and discussing recent trade relations, Fenlie vanished the same way she had appeared.

Jareth was grateful to Fenlie for taking up this task. While the Nymph Queen may not yet be aware of it, this girl's lineage could very well thrust them into an unwanted war.

If the girl proved to be Hreidmar's daughter, there would be no avoiding it. Hreidmar's wife would demand the girl's head, even if Hreidmar himself didn't. She was jealous, and demanded all of his illegitimate children to be wiped from existence. He smiled wryly. War was not something he relished or particularly enjoyed.

The Goblin King would keep Tana's lineage a secret for as long as possible, but if Hreidmar's magic ran through her veins he would eventually recognize her as his own. Secrets such as that could not be easily concealed in the underground. He glanced at the time. Jareth had several hours to wait until his wife returned.

A/N: It's taken a while for me to get around to this bit of development, so I hope you've enjoyed the journey! In the next chapter, the King, Queen, Callie, Jareth, and Tana all make an appearance. Thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 11: Accident

A/N: I'm super excited for this chapter! It's definitely one of my favorites, and I hope you enjoy it too! Thanks for reading! :)

Chapter 11: Words

Queen Sarah smiled as she found him in the Throne room. He was still glorious, all these years later. His hair was faded, his eyes grayer, but nothing else gave any indication of his age. He was still lithe and cat-like as he lounged lazily over the throne, somehow still appearing regal with his leg draped over the arm of his seat. She felt her heart skip as those mis-matched eyes met hers; she would never get used to him, she supposed, as he rose smoothly to greet her.

As he bowed over her hand to brush his lips over the light white lines that marked their bond, a shiver rippled down her spine. How did such a simple motion still affect her so, even after all this time? "My Queen." He murmured in greeting, straightening and meeting her warm emerald gaze. She hadn't been gone for more than a couple of days, but he had missed her painfully.

She curtsied low. "My King" Sarah returned affectionately. His warm hand lifted hers as he began leading her towards the thrones. Mischief danced in his voice as he casually told her their son appeared to have made himself quite at home in Tana's life, Then grew serious as he informed her quietly of his suspicions of her parentage.

Sarah frowned. "Will she be safe with Jareth watching her? Especially since she could be his...?" She trailed off as they sat on their separate thrones, their hands remaining clasped.

He understood her meaning. The Goblin King raised one upturned eyebrow, mischief sparkling in his eyes as he answered. "You disapprove of our son watching over the girl?"

His wife gave a good-natured, exasperated, and most certainly unladylike snort. "Of course not. In fact, I think it's the best decision you've made since marrying me."

He laughed, releasing her hand after giving it another brief kiss as their steward stepped forward to begin the business of holding Goblin Court.

The Goblin Prince was back to being an Owl and following her around as she headed off to work, deciding that it was a more entertaining use of his time than lounging around her apartment all day. Today, his presence was far less distracting. There was a weird sense of familiarity now, almost like it was natural for him to be so close by.

Also, her Sister was supposed to be home today. How weird would it have been for her sister to show up with a strange man in their apartment?

Oddly today, she felt...lighter. Like a burden she hadn't known she'd been carrying was lifted. She wasn't sure what put her in such a good mood. Was it the fact that her deepest wish for Magic to be real had some how come true? Or was it because she'd stayed up far too late, listening to the Prince talk about his home? Stories upon stories of magic and kings, tales of the sort she'd always adored. The affectionate look in his eyes, the feeling she got just from hearing that warm voice sweeping over her senses. He'd been almost charming, a lopsided smile quirking his lips as she laughed at a harrowing story of a small Knight desperately attempting to duel with an army single-handedly during a training session. He'd had to intervene to rescue to valiant little creature from getting pummeled. The memory of their pleasant conversation put an extra bounce in her step as she headed back home at the end of the day, the presence of the Owl overhead comforting.

Almost as soon as she stepped into her apartment, Callie pounced, enveloping Tana in a tight hug. "I'm so glad your home! How's it going?"

Tana returned the embraced, smiling at the familiarity of her sisters' warmth and exuberance. "Fine! How's mom?"

"Oh she's great! Of course she says hi and wants you to visit soon."

"Yeah it's been a while. I'll have to get out there." Tana pulled from her sister and plopped down on the couch, her sister settling into a nearby chair.

"Hey I felt bad about bailing the other day- I was hoping to make it up to you with a night out! Whattaya say?"

Looking at her sisters bright, hopeful eyes, Tana found it hard to outright decline. Trying to bow out politely, she shook her head in denial. "Oh no, it's fine! I'm glad you got the part! Don't worry about making it up to me!"

Callie Williams would not be deterred. "I insist, let me take you out! It's been too long since we had a girl's night out; I'm sure you've gotta be tired of being cooped up with nothing to do in this apartment!"

Tana fought against a wry smile that tugged her lips as the Prince crept once again into her thoughts. If only her sister knew how very wrong she was- she'd probably _faint_ if she saw Jareth. Tana eventually relented. Callie wanted to do something nice for her, and she didn't have the heart to deny her sweet sister. With a resigned sigh, she finally agreed to hitting their favorite bar.

"Awesome!" Callie continued, not noticing her sister's hesitancy. "Hurry up and change out of those stuffy work clothes. I can't wait to dance!"

"Ok," Tana wondered bemusedly how exactly the Goblin Prince planned on following her into a bar. Quickly glancing at the cranky-looking owl eavesdropping outside, her smile widened. If he was going to watch her, she might as well give him a show! Standing up, she began walking to her room. "Just give me a few minutes then." She said, thinking about a particular low-cut black top she hadn't worn in quite a while.

As she disappeared, Callie flopped onto the couch. "Take your time!" She called. "We're not going anywhere fancy so no rush." Catching sight of a vaguely familiar little red book on the side table, Callie began flipping through it's pages curiously.

Callie heard Tana yell from the next room: "Did you want to get food first?"

"Oh, there's an awesome noodle place around the corner I was thinking about..." She trailed distractedly off, eyes skimming over the pages in her hand.

"Sounds great!" Tana came out of her bedroom, tight jeans, flats, and a low-cut black shirt hugging her curves. She'd sort of tamed her curls into a messy bun, small ringlets framing her face prettily. Cheap bracelets and earrings completed the look, and she'd opted for black flats instead of heels with her dark wash skinny jeans. A quick sweep of eyeliner accented her large eyes, her lashes exaggeratedly long, while her lips were scarlet red. An owl stared appreciatively before turning his head sharply 180 degrees away, ruffling his feathers and clicking his beak in annoyance.

"You look great!" Callie exclaimed. "I love that top on you!"

Tana smiled. "Thanks."

"By the way..." Callie said, waving the book in her hand, "What're you doing reading fairy tales? Aren't you a little old for this? And most importantly, can I borrow it?"

Tana frowned, snatching the book from her sister in irritation. "I'll have you know it's a fascinating story. It was the one Grandpa left me."

Callie snatched the book back, flicking through it again. "Oh. That makes sense. You know, this would make a great play." Holding the open book a full arm's length away, she swelled her chest up dramatically. "I Wish the Goblins would Take you Away, RIGHT NOW!"

Tana blanched as a window flew open with a crash, Callie freezing in fear as wind whipped around her, lightening flashing ominously from nowhere.

Callie dropped the book, scared eyes meeting her sister's. "Tana...?...What's happening..?"

Tana grabbed Callie's arm as she caught movement out of the corner of her eyes, this time definitely not imagined. "Oh no..." she groaned, her grip tightening on her sister.

"What's goin-" Callie was cut off by crazy, uncontrollable giggling coming from all corners of the room, the thunderstorm raging outside. She screamed and leapt behind Tana as the lights flickered. Tana stood as though rooted, her gaze never wavering from the window that had flung itself open.

"Shit." she whispered as a familiar Owl swept into the room.

The lights went black and thunder rumbled.

"Dammit Callie!" Tana yelled, her fingers digging into her sister's arm.

"What's happening?!" She cried, terrified, as the owl landed, morphing before her eyes.

Callie gaped at the fierce man that materialized in front of her in a shower of glitter. No longer the teasing, casual Prince Tana knew; no, now he was now strapped into black armor, those mis-matched eyes serious and hard as they locked onto her baby sister. Tana took a step to block his gaze, straightening her back as she stood, unafraid of him. "No! She didn't mean it!"

Jareth crossed his arms, his voice dark. "What's said is said."

Tana suppressed a shiver at his icy tone. "But she didn't mean it!"

"Oh she didn't?" He tilted his head, studying the blond girl cowering behind the defiant little woman who met his eyes without a trace of intimidation. He hated doing this to her, but there was nothing to be done for it. The words had been said.

Callie's voice trembled. "Who are you?" she squeaked, continuing to peer out from behind her sister.

Jareth placed his hands on his hips, quirking an upturned eyebrow at Callie as his wild golden hair fell into his mis-matched eyes. Tana interjected before he could respond, her voice frosty. "That's him. That's the Goblin Prince" she said, her level gaze never leaving his.

He smirked imperiously, pleased she had used his proper title for once. "Correct. And as such, it's best if you don't defy me." he elegantly flicked his wrist, a crystal appearing on his fingertips. "I've brought you a gift." He said, ignoring Tana and pinning Callie with his strange, mesmerizing eyes.

"What is it?" Callie asked, captivated by the movement as he rolled it across his hands, taking a step towards him. Her blue eyes were drawn to the sphere of their own accord, following its fluid movement as it danced across his hands.

He smiled sinisterly. Tana's sister was a vapid, simple creature. There was no way she could defeat the Labyrinth. Tana would become a resident of the underground, forever. He lowered his voice further, pushing a bit of magic into his words. "It's a crystal, nothing more, but if you turn it this way, it will show you your dreams. Do you want it?" At her silence, he continued. "Then forget about your sister".

Before Callie could reply, Tana roughly shoved Callie aside. Surprised by this, the prince raised an eyebrow.

Tana wasn't intimidated. "Why are you doing this?"

He blinked, his facade faltering a bit at her demand. "It's my job, love. Part and parcel of the position. It's simply the way it is done."

Tana wasn't backing down. "Then I'll run the Labyrinth in her place. I'll run it for my own freedom."

Now this was a surprise. He placed a finger on his chin, considering. It would, in theory, fulfill the requirements of the Labyrinth. He'd never had an adult be wished-away, and so the circumstances were unusual. Could a wished-away choose to run the Labyrinth for themselves? He smiled. There was nothing saying that they _couldn't_.

And, if she lost, she would be forced to remain in the underground. He considered her, those scarlet lips frowning at him and fierce chocolate eyes challenging him. Oh, she'd be angry, but she'd have an eternity to get over it. He would have forever to soothe her anger, and explore her every secret. He licked his lips, the taste of her still fresh in his mind. Really, this arrangement could prove... exciting.

"You may run the Labyrinth in your sister's place, and should you lose, you will become one of us, forever."

Tana swallowed, glancing at her sister's terrified face. She steeled her spine. There was no way she'd let her baby sister run that maze. Besides, if Queen had been human when she'd beaten the maze, so could she. "I'll do it".

And without another word, they were on the hill overlooking the Labyrinth. "She didn't mean it..." Tana whispered dejectedly, refusing to look at the man who had suddenly become all things villain.

Jareth just shrugged. "Neither did my mother." Jareth the II, Crown Prince of the Labyrinth, studied the girl in front of him. He admired her refusal to look weak, her loyalty to her sister. Such a strong woman would make a formidable ally. An odd stirring curled around his chest, something terribly unfamiliar and...primal. He decided to make her one last offer. The Labyrinth after all, could be terribly dangerous.

"You could always become one of us. Let your sister forget about you, forever."

Would that really be so terrible? The faces of her family flashed in her mind, a life of laugher, love, of nurturing. No. She couldn't leave them, or Callie. They were her family. "Don't you see that I can't do that?" She sighed dejectedly, before a firm resolution squared her shoulders. "Plus, it's my freedom at stake here. I'll be damned if I'm here against my will."

He shook his head, hiding a smile at her defiance. "Such a pity." A clock appeared, and he twisted its hands, as his father had so many eons ago for his mother. "You have 13 hours in which to solve the Labyrinth, or else you become one of us, forever." He faded from sight. "Such a pity."

He decided to not mention what would happen if she won. After all, that was a possibility not worth considering. She wasn't going to defeat the Labyrinth.

A/N: You didn't think Tana was going to get out of running the Labyrinth, did you? :-p


	12. Chapter 12: Games

12: Into the Labyrinth

Tana was trying really hard not to panic, but Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit.

That one word bounced around her mind as panic began to bubble up. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down as she looked down at the maze from her hilltop perch. The ominous castle in the center rose up imperiously, looking exactly like something out of a terrifying fairy tale. Trying to reassure herself, she muttered "It doesn't look that far..." Somehow, the sound of her own voice was soothing. "Thanks Grandpa" She breathed, a little louder. Thanks to him and that book, she at least had some sort of idea of how this worked.

Starting off towards the Labyrinth, she thought of Jareth. He'd been so absolutely cold. She supposed it was the role he had to play, but none the less, for some odd reason, it had stung. The way he'd looked at Callie, so dispassionate and heartless, disturbed her. That was the look of a man who could care less whether she lived or died. Tana shivered. Could that really be the same man that had been making coffee in her kitchen just a few days ago? The one who'd sent her blood burning? The same man that had been talking with such passion and fervor about his home long into the night? And what tricks would he pull to stop her from getting to the center?

All the same, she decided it didn't matter. What mattered now was getting through the Labyrinth to secure her freedom. With a sigh, she glanced down at the dusty earth. "Well, c'mon feet." she encouraged herself, and picked up her pace to a light jog, thankful she'd opted for flats instead of the stilettos she'd considered first.

Meanwhile, Prince Jareth landed at the castle, moving swiftly towards the throne room.

He sincerely hoped his father would be alone. How would the King react, with the girl that he, the Prince, was supposed to be watching over now running the dangers of the Labyrinth?

The gods must have been on his side; his father was alone in the throne room. He really didn't want to face his mother at the moment.

Seeing the expression on his son's face, the elder Fae rose and commanded the room to be emptied. He didn't speak a word as the goblins and chickens fled, but calmly placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Tell me exactly what happened."

Jareth relived the events of the day; how her younger sister had read a line from the book, and how Tana volunteered to go in her place.

When he'd finished his father ran a hand over his eyes, and yet, oddly, a smile quirked his lips. "What a fine mess the girl has gotten herself into." he mumbled. "Clever, though, to offer to go in her sister's place. I don't believe anyone has ever thought to make that particular arrangement before."

"Is there anyway to get her out of this deal unscathed?" the younger man asked, seeking his father's eyes.

Jareth gave an unconcerned shrug. "You know there's not. Should she lose, her family will forget she ever existed and she will be forced to live in the Underground her entire life, likely as a servant. Should she win, she will be free to return home, as well as the right to seek a seat at your side if that is her will."

Sighing deeply, the Prince glanced at his father through his bangs, voice quiet. "How did you do this, father, when it was mother running?"

Jareth smiled, pleased at the question. His son was fond of the girl, even if he didn't know yet that she was, in all likelihood, his mate. The King smiled at the memories the question stirred, as he looked at the familiar emotions rioting across his son's face. "There are things you can do to help her. You cannot change the obstacles she will face, but-" He grinned "-You can ensure that she always has an escape."

The prince looked confused, so his father continued. " There's a bit of a magical loophole in the rules concerning runners- while you cannot make the Labyrinth easier on her, there are things you can do to ensure her safety. Say, for instance, a wall were to give way at just the right time,or should she need someone to throw her a rope- these are things you can send to her aid. Things that do not require you to _directly_ intervene. It's a loophole I learned well."

Prince Jareth nodded his understanding, vanishing in a cloud of agitated glitter. His father stood alone for a moment, smiling after his son's departure. Sitting back on his throne, the King conjured a crystal to look in on Tana. Speaking out loud to the empty room, he mused "Any runner must prove themselves worthy; not just to the Labyrinth itself, but to its keeper. Her will must be strong enough to truly defy him; she must be his equal in every way... A true future Queen must be able to prove her strength matches that of her King. If that means we must play the villain, so be it." The crystal vanished. Hearing a small knock on the door of the throne room, he allowed his steward to enter and resume the duties of the day. Sarah was in the kitchens, overseeing the staff there.

He couldn't wait to tell her of this recent development.

The Prince balanced on a stone wall, his eyes locating Tana quickly. "Damn." he muttered. She'd already found the entrance and was turning her head back and forth, staring down the seemingly never-ending corridors. The dwarf, Hoggle, (one his mother's close friends), was telling her briskly that he'd go in either direction. Something was said, Hoggle got annoyed and stamped off, leaving her alone. She began to feel along the walls. "Smart." he thought to himself. She knew some of the secrets of the Labyrinth already, particularly after their talk and reading some of the book. This would prove to be harder than he expected.

Not that it mattered. She wasn't going to win; all he had to do was make sure she didn't get to the Castle within the alloted time. How much would she hate him if she was forced to remain in the underground? Probably a lot.

Why should he worry about what she felt about him?

Shaking off these thoughts, he re-focused. Was now a time to step in, put up some sort of a delay? Watching as she passed through one of the false walls and made her first turn, he mused that it would be interesting to see how the Labyrinth itself would intervene. It would be testing her, soon, as it did with every runner. In fact, one of the walls silently changed position even as he watched. What would be her greatest challenges? Seeing that she appeared thoroughly lost, he decided to trust the maze to keep her occupied for now. In the meantime, he went off looking for a particular resident.

Making her way through several turns, it was a while before Tana slowed, coming up on a large statue. It had to be nearly ten feet tall in its cross-legged position, its round belly reminiscent of Buddha likenesses that she was familiar with. This creature though, appeared to be made of bronze and had two large white tusks protruding from its lower jaw, each thrusting upwards over its upper lip. At the moment, it appeared to be sleeping, its chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm.

"Um, Hello?" Tana called, her voice nervous.

The statue's breathing paused a moment, cracking it's copper colored eyes open the tiniest of slivers. Considering her slowly, its voice was deep and unhurried. "Who are you?" It rumbled, sounding mostly bored and exceedingly uninterested.

"I'm Tana, who are you?"

He closed his eyes. "My name is of no consequence."

She shifted her weight from one foot to another. "Well, even so...it's nice to meet you." When he didn't say anything, she continued. "Would it be possible...that is, can you help me get through the Labyrinth?"

The statue didn't move. She waited several heartbeats, before she heard him snore again.

Annoyed, she shouted up at him. "Hey! Wake up!"

It cracked one eye at her. "Why do you disturb my slumber?"

"I need to get through the Labyrith!" she cried, becoming frustrated.

It made a sound, low and throaty. "hmmmm" it hummed deeply, closing its eyes.

Tana waited, breathless, for its response.

Then it snored again.

She sincerely wanted to rip her hair out. "I don't have time for this!" She cried, stomping her foot. "Will you help me get through this Labyrinth or not?"

The ground started to shiver. She jumped backwards as a large, square slab of stone rose between them.

"A game, perhaps?" The statue rumbled, looking at her with half-asleep eyes.

"I don't have time for a game!" She cried.

The large statue gave the barest hint of a lazy shrug. "Seems as though you will not get anywhere with that attitude." It sniffed loudly as it shut its eyes again.

"Fine! If I play will you help me get through this maze?!"

In answer, a dark gray game piece slid to a new spot. He re-opened his eyes. "The rules are simple. Get five of those rocks in a straight line, and you win."

"Piece of cake!" she said, and moved towards the board. Tana pounced on the lighter-colored pieces, shoving one to another square without giving it much thought. "There. Your turn!"

Humming lazily at her, another of the statue's dark pieces slowly moved. And so the game began.

An hour later, she screamed in frustration. "This is impossible! I can't beat you!"

The statue smiled. "You above-ground creatures. Always so quick to make the next move, never slowing to truly consider the consequences of your actions."

Gritting her teeth, she studied the board, considering what the creature had just said. Maybe, she thought to herself, she had been too hasty in her decisions. Maybe that was the problem. She was always in a hurry to be decisive, to never look as though she was faltering or insecure. She was always in such a hurry to hide her self-doubt, that she often moved impulsively. She'd also taken for granted the simple rules of the game, dismissing that perhaps it was more complex than it appeared.

Maybe that's why she had lost this game.

Taking a deep breath, she studied the board carefully. Patterns began to emerge. She noted that his pieces were already where they needed to be to block her well in advance, as if he'd been anticipating her every movement from the start. She began to see his strategy, and in doing so, found an opening. Slowly, deliberately, she slid one of her small grey stones to a far corner.

She smiled. "Your move."

Raising his great bronze eyebrow, he began his turn.

Another hour later, Tana crowed in triumph. "I got it! I win!"

The statue smiled, heaving himself up onto thick, sturdy legs. The ground rumbled slightly under his massive weight as he took a single step to the side. Behind him was a large crack in the wall, one she could easily slide through.

"Thank you." she said gratefully, and quickly moved past the giant statue to the next section of the Labyrinth.

A/N: One challenge down! As always, please share your thoughts :)


	13. Chapter 13: Taviki

A/N: The Labyrinth belongs to Jim Henson Company- Tana and other characters are of my own creation. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 13: A new Ally

Ducking into the opening, Tana found herself surrounded by tall stone walls once more that branched out three different directions. But, at least here, she was starting to see some trees arcing in the distance, and vines crawled over some of the stones. Maybe she was getting closer after all? Glancing behind her, she was dismayed to find that the wall she'd just come through had vanished. No asking the giant statue guy now.

"Damn." she muttered, glancing around. "No time to waste, better get moving...Now which way?"

As she hesitated, she could hear odd sounds not too far off. Listening closer, she noted that the sounds were angry hissing noises, accompanied by some giggling and excited shouting. Did she really want to go find out what was going on? Another hiss sounded, this time louder. Something that the Prince had said sprang to her mind: "Things are never as they seem." Breathing deep, she tamped down the butterflies of fear in her stomach and headed off to her left.

The sounds grew louder. In the midst of the giggles, she began to make out words in high-pitched, excited voices. "Yeah! Take that you big bully!'

"Sneaky rat!"

"Stinky!"

Peeping around a corner, she was finally able to see what was going on. What looked like a giant ferret, or weasel of some sort, captured in a crude wooden cage. Small, round goblins surrounded the hissing monster, poking it with sticks as they danced and jeered around it. Its ruddy orange fur had spots that appeared matted with blood, the poor thing! Instantly sympathizing with the creature, she began wracking her brain for ways to help. There were just three of the goblins, each almost reaching her waist in height.

Tana felt more and more frustrated as she continued to watch the goblins harassing the poor thing, infuriatingly helpless to do anything. So lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the wind picking up around her. It began to increase in crescendo until even the Goblins ceased their torture of the creature, looking around nervously. There was a whisper in the air, yet she couldn't make out the words. There was a sensation, like running her fingers through a still pond, just out of her grasp.

With wonder, she looked at her hands. Holding her breath, she wondered "Is this magic?" Then she focused, centering on the sensation, forming a singular thought: "Help him".

The feeling responded.

A loud _crack_ ripped the air, startling her as a giant tree branch suddenly crashed down on top of one of the goblins, the others shrieking in surprise. Another, slower, ominous creak echoed in the air, and the remaining goblins scattered with frightened squeals, tripping over each other in their haste.

Once the goblins had dispersed, the wind died down. The goblin that had been hit by the branch managed to squirm his way out and scampered off as fast as he could with a noticeable limp.

Stunned, she waiting until he vanished around the corner before she approached the cage. The creature snarled, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth as he backed away from this new threat. His small, black eyes glared at her suspiciously, fur bristled. Tana put her hands on her hips in response, leaning forward to eye him sternly. "Now stop that! Is that any way to treat someone that's trying to help you?"

He stopped snarling, his intelligent eyes sizing her up before he glanced at the branch. She was surprised to hear him speak; she'd honestly not expected that! His voice was strangely raspy, yet high pitched. "Did you do that?" He asked, studying the thick, broken wood lying on the ground in front of him.

She hesitated in her response, still getting over the shock of a talking giant weasel. "I...don't know...maybe?"

He gave her an annoyed look. "What do you mean, you don't know?"

"Well I've never used magic before, so I'm not sure if it was me or just a coincidence..."

He shook his head, ruffling the fur around his ears while his eyes calmed and he sat on his haunches. "Well, no matter, at any rate I'm still grateful for the help. Now, I don't suppose you can get me out of this cage?"

Tana pulled on one of the wooden bars, finding it surprisingly sturdy. "Is there a latch or something on it? How'd you get in here?"

"Never-mind how I got in here, what's important is getting me out!" He snapped, then poked his nose towards one of the cage walls. "I think the lock's over here." Scratching gently at something that resembled a small, crude padlock, he turned his gaze back to her.

Taking the object in her hand, she gave a low "Hmm" as she turned it over. It looked simple enough, not that she was overly familiar with these sorts of things. "Oh! I know!" Thanking her lucky stars that she'd bothered to put her hair up, she produced a bobby pin from the top of her head, a rogue curl tumbling out of her loose bun.

"What's that?" He asked, eying the pin curiously.

"Hopefully your way out of there!" She crowed, setting to work on the lock. "Now, this really can't be that hard, right? It looks easy in the movies..."

Several futile attempts later, she huffed in annoyance. "... this is why I never took up a life of crime..." she joked, mostly to lighten her own mood. Wiggling the pin back and forth in the lock, the pin finally felt like it bumped against something that gave way.

The creatures ears twitched. "I thought I heard something- move the pin back the other way a bit."

Tana did, and was rewarded with a loud click and the lock popping neatly open. "I did it!" she crowed, swinging open the cage door and grinning at the furry animal. "There you go!"

His sinuous body shot past her, pausing a few feet away to shake himself before he sat on his haunches. "Thank you, miss. The name's Taviki. What's yours?"

"I'm Tana."

"Pleased to meet you! I figure I owe you one after that! What might you be doing here? Don't see too many folks like you around these parts, aside from their Highnesses."

Curiosity gnawed at her to ask what he meant, but she was in a hurry and decided to get to her primary task at hand. "Well, I'm trying to get to the castle; if I don't, I'm going to be trapped here. I don't suppose you know the way?"

Taviki lifted his nose in the air and sniffed. "No, sorry, I don't. I can help you along the way for a bit if you like; repay the favor and all that." He glanced around. "I know this part of the maze all right- I hunt snakes and other things around these parts".

An image of those sharp teeth sinking into a scaly, disgusting serpent unwillingly sprung to her mind. Her nose crinkled at that thought, but she pushed it aside. Considering the offer, her face broke into a bright smile. "You know, it would be nice to have some company out here. Thank you, Taviki."

"Don't mention it!" he gave an odd, pointy smile, his lips curling over his sharp teeth in a cheerful way. "Now, let's get moving!"

Returning his enthusiasm, she took off with a confident stride. It was encouraging, having someone at her side. Glancing towards the Castle in the distance, she felt confident for the first time since she started, that she was going to make it. Firmly planting her foot, she started on the path that would lead her one step closer towards her freedom.

A/N: Even if you don't like it, please leave me a review with CONSTRUCTIVE criticism! Thanks for reading!


	14. Chapter 14: Oubliette

Author's note: Once again, just an update from the original version. This is still a massive work in progress and as always I appreciate feedback! Please let me know your thoughts! :)

Tana and Taviki walked for what felt like forever. Despite Taviki's confident guidance, she felt extremely lost. All the walls looked exactly alike. Glancing around, she noted the sun had risen fairly high in the sky. How much time had passed? She wondered. Taviki paused, sniffing the trail.

"Well, here's about where I stop. Never been past this point. Do you have an idea of which direction you want to go?" he asked.

Tana glanced around, finding the trail split into three directions. "Umm..."

All the paths looked the same.

Taviki's nose twitched as he tried to distinguish the correct course. "Which way?" She murmured to herself, watching Taviki sit on his haunches and sniff the air. He twisted his long body to look at her, ears twitching.

Pointing his nose down one of the paths, he told her "I'm going to go a bit this way, see what's ahead. Be back in a nip!" With that, he dove around a corner, leaving Tana standing alone. Releasing a heavy sigh, she glanced down the opposite path. That was when a Crystal bumped against her foot, effectively halting all thoughts.

Her eyes followed it as it bounced back to its owner. Swallowing hard, her stomach did a flip at the sight of him. There he lounged, casual, against a venetian statue, idly twirling another crystal. Conflicting feelings swirled within her. Instant attraction, fear, suspicion...and, oddly, relief.

"Miss me yet?" He purred, every inch the devious villain. Pushing away from the statue, he began taking deliberate, unhurried steps towards her, eyes ensnaring her. "How are you enjoying my Labyrinth?"

The phrase left her lips before she could stop it. "It's a piece of cake!" She chirped, and knew instantly she'd made a mistake.

That devious, playful smile vanished. Smoothly stalking towards her with a predatory gleam, he forced her to back up until she found herself bumping against the wall. A rush of wild panic (or was it anticipation?) seized her when she realized that she couldn't move any further. The pounding of her heart drowned out all else as he closed the distance between them to mere inches. He towered over her, the top of her head barely reaching his chin. Was he that tall before? Shivers raced down her spin, but she refused to be intimidated. Craning her neck to maintain eye contact, she pressed as far back as she could while still giving him her best glare. Capturing her chin with his left hand, his gloved fingers firm on her face as he stared back at her intensely.

Now this was familiar. Her heart hammered traitorously in her chest as her blood heated, fear quickly becoming replaced with anticipation. She remembered the force of his kiss, and its earth- shattering effect.

The Labyrinth no longer existed; all she could see was him and those wild, otherworldly eyes. His lips a mere millimeter away from hers, warm breath caressing teasingly across hers. Dammit, even his _breath_ smelled good. Nervously, her tongue darted out to lick her suddenly dry lips, air catching in her lungs.

His voice broke through the trance she found herself in."A piece of cake, is it? Hmm?" he pressed closer, his solid body barely brushing against hers. Tana could barely breath as all thoughts flew out of her head. He leaned forward, gently nipping the sensitive flesh of her earlobe. Shivers raced down her spine at the sensation, those fingers never leaving her chin as he pulled back, forcing her to look into his eyes once more. A slow, wicked smile curved at the corner of his sinful lips. "Let's see how you enjoy this, then"

Before she could open her mouth to protest, he vanished.

Confounded, frustrated, and feeling inexplicably cold, she spun around. To her horror, the paths had disappeared, leaving only one way for her to go. Cursing herself for allowing herself to be distracted by the infuriating prince, she raced down the path remaining to her, calling out for her now-absent companion.

But Taviki was gone. Cursing herself again, she kept running until, breathless, she skidded to a halt in front of two doors, each blocked by a strange guard. One was red, the other blue, otherwise they were identical. Most of their bodies were concealed by large, rectangular shields. Their heads poked out the bottom, looking at her curiously from their upside down position.

"It's a dead end!" She cried. "I swear I'm going to strangle him!"

"No!" crowed the one behind the blue shield, "That's the dead end, behind you!"

Tana screamed in frustration as she spun, seeing the truth of his words while the guards cackled. "How am I supposed to get to the Castle?"

"We don't know!" giggled the one in the red. "But they do!" he crowed, and two heads rose from the top of the shields.

"Ok, well, then I'll just ask them."

"Wait!" Called the one in blue. "You can't ask us, you can only ask one of us!"

The red one interjected. "One of us tells the truth, and one of us aaalways lies. He always lies."

"No I don't! I tell the Truth!"

"Oh what a Lie!"

Tana rolled her eyes as the bottom guards snickered. She remembered this bit from the book. "Ok." She went up to the blue guard. "Would he tell me that this door leads to the center of the Labyrinth?"

The top guard consulted with the bottom guard, and after a moment of whispered deliberation, he came back with an uncertain "...Yes?"

She grinned, pushing open the door. "So predictable. This really _is_ a piece of cake!"

And with that, the ground opened up beneath her, and she tumbled into darkness.

Landing hard, she looked up in time to see the hole close above her, enclosing her in darkness. She shivered at the sudden chill that crept over her. "Dammit" she grumbled. How could she forget about this part of the book? "Hello?" she called. All she heard was her own voice. She squinted into the dark, trying to make out any details. "Hello?" She called again. Standing with a wince (she was pretty sure there was going to be a decent-sized bruise on her backside), she felt around. The walls were made of earth, that much she could tell. Other than that, she couldn't decipher anything else about her surroundings.

She took a deep, steadying breath and closed her eyes. "Taviki? Are you around?"

Silence. There was a steady dripping sound coming from somewhere.

Alone. Slumping against a wall, she sunk to the ground. What now? How did she end up here? Her eyes scanned, squinting in the darkness, trying to make out anything in the blackness.

A gruff voice startled her out of her concentration. "I just knew you'd end up in trouble the moment I saw ya."

There was a flash of light, and a wrinkled face flared into view as he lit a lantern. Shadows danced across his deep scowl, adding to depths of the creases lining his weathered visagae and illuminating rough dirt walls around them.

"Hogwart?" She said, remembering him from the entrance.

"NRRRGH! It's Hoggle!"

"Oh, Sorry..." she mumbled apologetically.

He grumbled under his breath. "S'alright. Everyone does it."

An uncomfortable moment of silence passed before she asked: "What is this place?"

"This-" He gestured to the dark space surrounding them. "Is an Oubliette. Labyrinth's full of 'em!"

"Oh yeah. I forgot." She replied, frowning. How many more details like this was she going to forget about? Her own absent-mindedness was slowing her down.

"Oh Don't act so smart! You don't even know what an Oubliette is!"

She smirked at him. Oh yes she did. "It's a place where you put things to forget about them."

Hoggle gaped, and she giggled at his astonished expression. Standing up, she brushed some dirt off her jeans and gave another glance around. "Now how do we get out of here?" She mumbled out loud.

"We?" He responded, raising one bushy brow.

"Yes, we. I'm pretty sure you don't want to be stuck down here any more than I do." She shot him a dirty look. "Plus, that would be the nice thing to do" she added.

He snorted in response. "Fat chance of that. Try again, girly."

Tana worried her lower lip. Ugh. Why was this dwarf so difficult? Vaguely she remembered something about jewels, but she didn't have a heck of a lot to offer. Absently, she fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist as she thought.

The dwarf's eyes followed the movement, completely fixated. Noticing his fascination, she smiled as she abruptly remembered exactly how the Queen had gotten the dwarf's help. "You like jewelry, don't you?"

Averting his eyes, he turned away swiftly. "Eh, so so." He said, trying to feign disinterest.

Yep. Just like the book, she thought to herself smugly. "Well.." she said, slipping the bracelet off, "I'll give you this if you help me out of here."

The dwarf's eyes lit up. Tana grinned. "You like it, don't you?"

He abruptly turned away again. "Eh, so-so."

In response she rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Oh come off it. I know that this is how Sarah got you to help her. I'm offering the exact same deal. Take it or leave it."

Hoggle's eyes went wide. "How'd you know...?" Then he snapped his jaw shut, looking annoyed. "Fine. I tells you what, I'll take ya as far as I can".

Tana nodded, already knowing that this would likely mean he'd just get her out of the Oubliette and then ditch her. "Deal."

And with that, he lifted up a piece of wood that she hadn't noticed before from the floor. Setting it against the wall, he attached a small knob from his pocket to it. The door swung open easily, revealing a tall, dark, cave-like tunnel.

Scrunching her nose, she peered into the blackness. "I don't suppose you have a light?"

Grumbling something about "useless girls" and "why do I always have to deal with this", Hoggle produced something akin to a match from his pocket. Lifting what appeared to be a torch out of its sconce on the wall, he struck the match against stone. The flame danced merrily against rough-hewn stone walls. Here and there water trickled down the stones, the liquid shimmering in the dim light.

Here and there, Tana could make out what appeared to be rocks that glittered, as though made of quartz or gold.

But surely that was merely a trick of the light.

With a huff, Hoggle gave her a gentle push. "Ladies First".

Glowering at the little dwarf, she hesitated.

What new challenge lie in these tunnels? She shivered, a sense of foreboding curling around her belly uncomfortably. The darkness was oppressive and threatening, the rocks almost mockingly sinister in their innocence. She shivered.

Taking a purposeful step forward, the duo began their trek.


	15. Chapter 15: Kelpies

Far off in the castle, Prince Jareth watched her admiringly through a crystal. She was strong, that much was obvious. Despite his little demonstration of power, she was continuing on her path, with a companion to boot. It was almost uncomfortable to witness how easily she befriended his subjects. He shoved aside the similarities between Tana's journey and what his mother had gone through. There was no way Tana could be running the path for Queenship.

None at all. She was too impulsive, too naive, too feisty, too passionate. She made him far too irrational, far too-quick tempered, and far too fascinated. She was just too...too...too...

"Too" _what_ exactly?

Brushing aside his doubts, he refocused. He wasn't prepared to share his throne with another, regardless of how smart and undeniably beautiful they were. It didn't matter how much they made his heart race, or how much he wanted to taste those cherry lips of hers. He wasn't ready for a Queen.

Perhaps it was time for him to give her a different challenge. With that thought in mind, he vanished.

He slipped into a dark alcove just ahead of the pair. Hoggle was now leading the way, Tana close behind. Here, in this dim light, she was every inch the faerie creature his father claimed her to be. Was it just his imagination, maybe a trick of the light, or were her eyes lighter than when he'd seen her last? Regardless, the sight of her sent a pulse of heat through him, involuntarily shuddering as she neared. What was this feeling? Foreign emotions sparked to life inside him, primitive and undeniable. He didn't have time to ponder this; She was not to be his.

Releasing a crystal from his fingertips, Hoggle's muttered "uh-oh" told Tana exactly who she should expect to see.

"Ah, what have we here?" He crooned, stepping from the shadows.

Hoggle stumbled over his lie, seeing through the disguise instantly. Doing his best to hide Tana from the Goblin Princes' view, he stumbled over his words. "Oh, Uh, nothin'" Just like his father, Hoggle thought. Just as terrifying.

"Nothing you say?" Jareth purred lazily. Languidly, his mis-matched gaze fell on Tana, who stared wide-eyed at him. Her hair had fallen in a further disarray since he'd last seen her, spilling in tumbles around her face. The tousled appearance had a thousand _other_ , much less innocent ways, of messing up her hair springing to his mind. His fingers itched to bury themselves into that wild mane while he buried himself...

His predatory smile was unsettling and arousing all at once.

Tana hugged herself as if her slim arms could protect her from his hungry look.

It felt like a small eternity had passed before he slid his gaze lazily from Tana to the dwarf once again. "Hogwart, could it be that you're helping this girl? You should know by now what happens when you help runners." Jareth tilted his head to consider the dwarf as he spoke, resting a gloved finger on his chin for emphasis.

The dwarf blanched. "Erm, of course! Why would I help her? You knows I only takes em' back to the beginning."

"Hoggle!" Tana rolled her eyes, sounding annoyed with the dwarf. Jareth smirked in satisfaction as he turned his attention to her, looking into her face for signs that the Dwarf's betrayal had any impact on her at all.

To his surprise, she appeared entirely unphased. She glared at Hoggle instead, skewering him with a look that promised murder. "Really? You couldn't have even TRIED to do things different this time?"

The dwarf blanched, suddenly looking more scared of _Tana_ than he did of Jareth. Swallowing hard, the short-tempered gate keeper inched away, before turning heel and _running_.

Tana thought she heard him shout something about "Crazy fairies" as he fled.

"HOG-GLE!" She shouted, but he vanished around a corner before she could take more than a step to follow him.

Jareth snorted, then chortled, then gave a full-blown laugh while Tana glared at him.

"And here I thought you were doing _so well_." He chortled.

"Well I _was_ until a certain royal PAIN IN THE ASS SHOWED UP!"

She should have known by the darkening of his gaze that she should follow Hoggle's example and _run_ , but pride and irritation kept her firmly planted to the ground as he stalked towards her.

" _What have I told you about addressing me with the proper respect?"_

Deliberately, he took a step towards her and braced one arm on the wall, effectively caging her between the wall and himself. For Tana, the room suddenly felt much smaller as the world constricted until he filled every one of her senses once more.

Slowly he raised his free hand and trailed a gloved finger down her satin-smooth cheek. "Tana," he purred, "How are you enjoying my Labyrinth?"

Turning her face away from his burning touch, she managed a heated glare at him. "Even a kid could get through this maze!" she snarled

The Prince's eyes turned venomous.

"Oh really now?" A crystal formed between his hands, his smile laced with malice as he reeled his arm backwards. And with that, the crystal went flying down the tunnel, him vanishing along with it.

Tana didn't have time to wonder where he'd gone. A loud rushing sound began to rumble in the distance, and it took a second for her brain to catch up with what her eyes were seeing. Were those _horses_ made of water?! Their bodies were completely clear, shimmering and fluid. They crashed over one another like waves, twisting and tumbling towards them with murder in their eyes. Fear shot through her body at the sight, her legs suddenly frozen.

Suddenly Hoggle came careening towards her, flailing to get away from the horrifying creatures. "Oh no! It's the KELPIES!" He shouted, grabbing her arm. "RUUUN!" Effectively snapped out of her shock, she bolted with the dwarf.

"WHAT?!" Tana cried, never having heard of creatures such as these.

A terrifying scream, horrifyingly animalistic and human at the same time, sent another fresh wave of panic over her.

"RUUUN!" Hoggle howled, and they tore off through the tunnels. The managed to stay just ahead of the crashing water as they darted around corners, taking turn after turn as they desperately searched for an outlet. The bodies of the water-horses twisted and churned, their bodies constantly changing and turning over each other as they wiped everything in the tunnels clean behind them, destroying anything in their path beneath terrifyingly solid-sounding hooves. The creatures screamed, their teeth snapping as they sought their prey.

They were brought to a careening halt by a pit yawning widely in front of them. Why the hell was there a _pit_ in the middle of a tunnel?

"Oh no!" Tana groaned, heart hammering as she looked around frantically for a way across or some other escape. The sound of the creatures drew closer, fear bearing down on her with their rapid approach.

Suddenly, dirt sprayed everywhere and a familiar, furry head burst through the wall next to her. "THERE YOU ARE!" Taviki chattered as he scrambled through, flopping onto the ground unceremoniously in his excitement.

Righting himself on his short legs, he made a quick assessment of the situation, his eyes widening at the water churning towards them. "This way!" he cried, darting back into the tunnel he'd created.

Hoggle and Tana scrambled into the hole, the water rushing past them and tumbling harmlessly into the pit. She sighed in relief and began crawling along, following Taviki's short fluffy tail. His voice carried back to her.

"Almost there!" Within a few moments, they soon found themselves in another Oubliette. Taviki shook dirt out of his fur, turning his gaze to Tana. "You alright then?"

Standing up and brushing herself off, she grinned widely at him. "Are you kidding?" Wrapping him in a tight hug, she thanked him profusely. "You showed up just in time! Thank you!" Breathing a sigh of relief, she said softly to herself "That was close."

His furry face crinkled into an odd, pointy smile. "You're welcome. Looks like you were having a bit of trouble back there."

"I'll say!" Hoggle snapped. "Sending in the Kelpies, you sure got his attention!"

She paused a moment before asking "What exactly are Kelpies?"

Hoggle's face darkened. "Water-horses. Yer lucky they didn't catch us- they would've made short work of us. Nasty monsters."

He paused a moment, looking at Tana cautiously. "Ain't ya mad that I told him I was takin' ya back to the beginnin'?" He glanced around. "Here's what we need- a ladder!" Picking it up, he began to climb. Tana looked up at him.

Tana shrugged. "I knew you would say that if he showed up. You did it before"

In response, his eyes grew wide with stunned surprise and he stumbled back a step. "What are ya? A witch? Fortune teller? You cans read my thoughts?!"

Her feminine laughter rang through the oubliette. "I wish! I don't rightly know what I am. I guess that's part of why I agreed to this." Squatting so she was eye-level with Hoggle, she explained. "My adoptive Grandfather gave me a book that told me all about Sarah's run through the Labyrinth, including what you said to the King about taking her back."

Both Hoggle and Taviki stared at her with their mouths gaping.

Tana tilted her head, curly hair coming even more loose with the movement. "What?"

It was the dwarf who responded, roaring "WHY DIDN'T YA TELL US?!" he shouted, keeping his eyes trained downwards.

"It wasn't really important..."

"NOT IMPORTANT?!" He screeched. "THE KING'LL PUT ME IN THE BOG!"

A giggle escaped her. "Oh stop it. I'm sure he won't. He didn't do it before and you know darned good and well Sarah won't let him. Besides, what's so special about it?."

Hoggle continued to eye her warily, one hand rubbing his chin as he looked deep in thought. "That Book...s' the Queens. I dunno how yer Grandpa got his paws on it. That things what got Sarah into the whole mess to start with..."

Tana didn't really have a good response. Shrugging, she said "I don't know, but it's been really helpful so far". Really though, a magical book that belonged to the Royal family? How exactly did Grandpa Toby come to have it? Realizing she wasn't going to get any answers here, she glanced around the oubliette and changed the subject. "Hoggle, I don't suppose you have a way out of here too?"

At his negative head shake, she looked over to Taviki, who shrugged and looked at the dwarf before he spoke. "It'd take me hours to dig us out of here. I can do it, but we'd lose lots of time."

Groaning, she began to feel around the room. "Maybe there's something in here already, some exit of some kind?"

Nodding, they all set to work searching the small space.

It was Taviki's sharp claws that unearthed an old, moldy-looking door of sorts. He chattered excitedly, helping Hoggle heave it up against one of the earthen walls.

Dusting himself off, the dwarf looked at the door suspiciously. "Dunno how this got down here. Dunno where it goes either. Don't like the smells of it."

Tana stepped forward and placed her hand on the handle. "Well look at it this way," She said, pausing to shoot Hoggle a mischievous wink, "what choice have ya got?"

He huffed while she hauled the door open.

"Woah." She breathed, disbelief coloring her eyes.

They stepped into a beautiful garden. An ornate fountain with angels bubbled nearby, hummingbirds flitting like jewels from one bright flower to the next. One buzzed close to Tana, and she realized that it really _did_ look like a jewel. Rather than feathers, its wings and body looked to be made of pure ruby with deep onyx eyes that spared her a brief glance before it darted off. Tana watched in amazement as they sparkled in a rainbow of color among the dramatic foliage and massive flowers.

"I've never seen anything this... _gorgeous_ " she stated, her eyes stuck on the fantastic and impossible creatures.

Hoggle just grunted, but his eyes were focused greedily on the birds.

Oh. Oh no.

Hoggle liked Jewelry.

Before she could stop him, he'd whipped out his fairy-killing spray from his belt. "Gonna get me a few new jewels!" he crowed, stepping towards the pretty birds.

He didn't get far before Tana tackled him to the ground, wrestling the spray away from him despite his struggles and cries of "GERROFF ME!"

She hefted the spray high over her head. "You're not going to TOUCH them! For all you know this is a trap just for you set by the Prince!"

The dwarf then proceeded to throw a tantrum, kicking the ground and stomping in a small circle as he vented his frustration. Eventually he settled down to glare at Tana. "Fine. You wins this time." But he made a mental note of where he was, undoubtedly plotting on how he could find his way back here when she wasn't looking.

Tana let out a sigh of relief. "Good. Let's get going then".

Picking their way carefully through the hummingbirds, they entirely missed the disappointed glare of the Cockatrice from the shrubs. The head of a bird but the body of a dragon, the creature guards its small hoard with zeal.

The creature had been itching for a fight, and had Hoggle taken one of its treasures...

Well, it wouldn't have ended well for the dwarf.

But, since none of his hoard were harmed, the Cockatrice settled back down to lazily watch his precious jewels dance in the sun.

Far away in the castle, an increasingly irritable Prince was cursing his judgment in sending Taviki to her aid and planting that door in the oubliette. Was he stretching the boundaries of the loophole too far? With a flourish of glitter he vanished from the castle, two older monarchs shooting knowing looks at each other.


	16. Chapter 16: Circles

Henson owns the labyrinth. Tana, Prince Jareth, and my interpretation of various Myths are my own. Hope you all enjoy it! Thanks for the Love!

Chapter 16: The Circle 

It felt like they'd been walking forever, her stomach growling in protest at the forced march without food. She hadn't had a chance to eat dinner after work, since her sister had decided to summon goblins. While she tried her best to ignore the rumbles of her stomach, they didn't escape the notice of her companion's sharp ears.

Taviki eyed her sympathetically. "I'm a bit peckish myself. Might be something just passed those doors; I think I smell trees."

Glancing where he indicated, sure enough, there were two doors. What was with this place and doors? Each door had a knocker, bronze and scowling at her.

"Which one should we choose?" she mused, pushing at one of the smooth wooden barriers. There was no handle; how were you supposed to open these things? There was a ring through the knocker's ears; was there something on the other side?

"It's very rude to stare!" The Knocker shouted at her continued perusal, giving a pretentious sniff.

Tana jumped back in surprise, stumbling out an apology. "Oh, I'm sorry, I was just..."

"WHAT?" the knocker cut her off.

"Mmphhph!" the other knocker, his voice muffled by a ring in his mouth, tried to interject.

"Hang on, let me get that..." Tana gently tugged the heavy ring out, setting it on the ground.

It smacked its lips appreciatively. "Thank you! Oh, it is so good to get that thing out of my mouth!"

"You're welcome, now what were you saying?"

"I said, it's no good talking to him. He's deaf as a post."

As if to confirm his statement, the other knocker shouted "WHAT? Speak up!"

The knocker she'd been speaking to sighed. Tana repressed a giggle, then asked him where the doors led.

"Search me, we're just the knockers!"

Tana glanced at Taviki. "Can you sniff or hear anything on the other side of these doors?"

The weasel bounced up to the doors, nose and ears twitching. He paused at the opposite door, with the deaf knocker, but then he shook his head. "I can't hear nothin' on either. Thought I could smell water on the other one though."

"Water means plants right? That means maybe there would be some berries or something."

"Worth a try!" Taviki chirped. Hoggle just scuffed his feet on the ground, this whole conversation far too familiar for his liking.

Ignoring the dwarf, Tana turned her attention to the knocker. "Alright, how do I open these doors?"

"Knock, and the door will open." he responded ominously. She held up the ring, and he immediately protested. "Uh-uh! I don't want that thing back in my mouth!"

"Come on! I want to knock!"

In response, he pursed his lips tighter. Frowning slightly, she studied the stubborn knocker. That's when she noticed his nostrils flaring with his steady breathing. A wicked idea struck her, and she seized his nose, cutting off his airflow until he was forced to take a gasping breath. Seizing the opportunity to shove the ring back in his mouth, she knocked while he grumbled.

"Sorry!" She said, although there wasn't a hint of sincerity in her voice. Passing through the door, she was hit with an incredible sense of dread. Taviki came up next to her, nose twitching. "I don't like this."

Hoggle hesitated in the doorway. "Ya don't really need me, do ya? I'm sure you can handle it from here on in."

Tana glared at him. "You know what? Fine." She rattled the jewels. "But I'm keeping this."

Opening his mouth to protest and taking a step forward, the door slammed shut before his words could reach her. Then, the door itself disappeared into a cluster of vines.

"Oh no... Hoggle?" She called, knowing it was useless.

There was no response.

Breathing deep to calm the sudden fear that gripped her, she looked at Taviki with more confidence than she felt. "Well, it's just you and me. We can do this. Let's get moving!."

Taviki moved slowly, the ominous feeling pressing down on him. "Tana...I'm scared..." he whispered, glancing back and forth.

Gently, she placed a hand on his head, gently rubbing between his ears. "Don't worry. We'll get out of here soon. It's going to be fine. Let's just keep moving."

Tana's stomach rumbled again as she began to lead the way. They moved in silence, Taviki following just a few steps behind.

A pit opening beneath him vanished silently before he could make a sound.

Tana didn't realize that he had vanished until the trees began to clear. The oppressive, ominous feeling began to lift, much to her relief. "I think we made it, Taviki!" Turning, a wave of horror washed over her. He was gone. Fear returned in full force. "Taviki? Where are you? Taviki?"

Growing more afraid for her friend, she took several steps in multiple directions, shouting for her friend. Where did he go?

Pausing for a breath, she turned in a full circle, scanning the trees desperately. A rustling sound caught her attention, and she spun again, calling for her friend hopefully. "Taviki?"

Instead of her furry companion, a small fairy flew in front of her face, grinning sinisterly at her. Only about six inches tall with iridescent wings, pale gray-blue skin, a slightly over-sized head and pointed ears, it would have been quite pretty if it hadn't been giving her that unnerving, maniacal smile. Tana cleared her throat, hoping that maybe that was just how fairies looked and that it was really a nice creature. "Um, Hi, did you see where my friend went?"

The small fairy crossed its arms and looked in a slow, deliberate circle around them. Tana didn't notice anything odd, at first. But as the fairy continued to smile that unnerving, wicked smile, she looked a little closer and noticed a ring of mushrooms around her. Her eyes widened in realization.

She was in a fairy circle. They cropped up in stories, myths her grandpa had told her. Nausea slammed into her stomach at the realization.

The Fairy's smile became downright evil, and it was the last thing she saw as her consciousness faded and she slumped to the mossy ground.

Prince Jareth peered into a crystal, looking for Tana. The last he'd seen, she was walking through the Firey's forest; he figured it was only a matter of time before she encountered those particularly odd residents of the Labyrinth. He wondered idly if they'd try to get her to take off her head too.

Holding the crystal at eye-level, he murmured his command to see her. Instead of the relatively harmless Firey's, fear formed a hard rock in his chest when he realized she wasn't moving. To make matters worse, her companions were nowhere in sight. Without a second thought he was beside her, sliding one hand beneath her head, lifting her torso gently into his arms. The tension in his chest unwound itself as he realized she was still breathing; but she wasn't waking up either. Tenderly, he moved a rogue curl from her face, admiring the way her long lashes rested on her cheeks while those rosy lips parted ever-so slightly. At least she was alive. Softly, he spoke her name, patting her cheek. "Tana?" The relief he'd experienced was replaced by a new sense of dread as she continued to rest, completely unresponsive to his presence.

Why wasn't she waking? A wave of protectiveness crashed through him, his grip tightening infinitesimally around her. How had this happened? Examining her closer for injury and finding nothing, Jareth realized quickly that this was the result of magic. Finally taking notice of his surroundings, he felt his heart fall into his stomach. They were in a Fairy Circle, hardly noticeable at first glance. It consisted of small white mushrooms forming a large round circle on the forest floor, Dust rose from the fungi, invisible to those not trained to see it.

Cursing under his breath, the prince stood with her in his arm easily, despite the haziness forming around the edge of his vision. How had he allowed himself to become so distracted? Several long strides took him a safe enough distance away and he dropped heavily to the ground, still cradling Tana's motionless form close to him. Her head rolled gently against his shoulder, expression peaceful as she remained undisturbed by his movements.

Softly as he could, he laid her on the ground. Leaning heavily against a stump of a nearby tree, he felt his own lids growing heavy. Fighting to keep his eyes open, Jareth could barely muster the energy to swat at the shimmering Pixie that flew into his line of sight. Settling on giving the creature a death glare as it grinned maniacally at him. These were not the same kind of fae creature as he and his family; no, these were more sinister little people. They had no fondness for his kind, believing that they had been shunned and treated as outcasts. Pixies were generally harmless, but their mischief and the strength of their dust was well-known.

The pixie grinned gleefully, its voice a nasty high-pitched rasp as it fluttered in front of his face. "She'll never wake up. She'll dance in her dreams until she dies." It laughed with malicious delight as it zipped away into the foliage.

The prince cursed himself. He should have been more careful. He should have paid more attention to his surroundings.

Jareth felt his eyes growing even heavier than before. The effect of the Pixie dust was setting in. He had to save Tana from the dream she was trapped in. Mentally cursing himself again, he spun a spell, a small bubble drifting over Tana and disappearing into her forehead with a small pop. While the dust would only make him unconscious for a while, for mortals it was deadly. He had to reach her before it was too late.

His mind barely registered her disappearing into the floating crystal. Relieved that she had accepted his presence, he barely had the strength to cast one more teleportation spell. Appearing in his bed, he braced himself to enter her dream as the full combined effect of the pixie's magic and his spell sent him spiraling into darkness.

A/N: Fairy Circles are fairly common in Faerie Myths. However, generally in those myths, the mortal is supposed to dance until they die. I put my own spin on this particular myth, having it knock her unconscious instead so she can "dance in her dreams" until she dies. Hope you enjoy this! The next chapter: Into the dream :)


	17. Chapter 17: Dreams

_Author's note: For this chapter, there are two songs I had in mind. The first is 'Something Wild' by Lindsey Stirling, the second is 'Break In' by Halestorm. Both are amazing songs that I highly recommend listening to._

 _This is an updated version._

Tana woke up, blinking blearily at the sunlight. Slowly rising into a sitting position, she took a moment to glance around her unfamiliar settings. Sunlight was dancing through green leaves and peering between the branches that formed a thick sort of canopy over her bed. Speaking of which, her bed appeared to be a soft, down-filled mattress covered with soft cotton blankets that she was currently buried under. The floor itself looked like it was made of thick branches that had grown pressed together.

She was inside a tree.

Cautiously she stood up. There was a slight hum to the air, a warm ripple of something that could only be described as magic. A strong sense of peace enveloped her heart as the energy that pulsed from the tree seemed to beckon her further. It wanted her to recline in its branches, to enjoy her home. And this _is_ her home. In fact, the energy seemed to say, why don't you come have some breakfast?

Rising from her cozy bed, Tana complied. Through the arched doorway of vines she went, unsurprised to see that all the furniture seemed to have been grown from the tree itself. It had bent and twisted itself into counter tops and tables, even cabinets and shelves. The sink itself seemed to be formed from a spring of water that flowed continuously from a spout into a wide, shallow basin Everything was polished smooth as though a very skilled craftsman had coaxed the wood into these perfect forms.

And Tana loved it. The molded warmth of nature of magic infused to create modern commodities was truly a beautiful sight to see. Even the appliances that Tana recognized had been carefully placed as to not detract from the beauty of the tree house. Finding what had to be the refrigerator, she was delighted to find it fully stocked with fresh fruits.

 _"Eat_ " the air seemed to say.

And she was famished. So she grabbed a pear and set to exploring her surroundings better. Outside of what she figured was a living room area, she found a balcony with steps leading the forest floor below. Maybe it should have surprised her how high in the air she was, however she found herself oddly accepting of the fact. It was like she'd always been here. A voice calling her name stopped her as she turned to head back inside.

It was a woman she hadn't seen before, and yet she seemed so familiar. Wavy, dark hair framed a face similar to her own, yet more mature and older somehow. The woman reached the top of the stairs and embraced Tana with familiarity.

Awkwardly Tana returned the hug. Why did this woman seem to know her?

Pulling away, the older woman brushed a rogue curl away from Tana's face with a warm smile. "How is my daughter doing? You must be so busy- you haven't come to see me in a while!"

Her...mother? Studying her closer, she realized she couldn't deny the resemblance. This woman was also petite with dark skin that matched her own, if a little darker. Her heart-shaped face and golden eyes were also impossibly familiar. She saw the same shapes each day in the mirror.

Realizing the woman was waiting for a response, Tana awkwardly said "I'm sorry...I've been distracted lately."

Her mother's face split into a wide, mischievous grin. "Yes, I heard that you and that Goblin Prince have been spending a lot of time together- why don't we go inside and you tell me more about him?"

Tana flushed at the mention of the prince, allowing her mother to tug her inside. "I..there's nothing to tell..."

"You can't fool me, my love. This old Queen has been around for a lot longer than you and I'd recognize that look anywhere. If it makes you feel any better, I already know that King Jareth would approve of you marrying his son. The Goblin Monarchy and I are old friends after all."

Tana raised an eyebrow. "Old friends? Do you mean lovers?"

The other woman gave a bark of laughter. "Oh dear no- where on earth did you get that idea? I've simply known him since he was a child. He's more like a younger cousin to me, almost a brother. He helped out our kingdom when we needed it- surely you remember me telling you how we came to have a treaty with them?"

Tana shook her head. "I'm afraid you'll have to remind me. I'm a little muddled."

"Honestly, don't you pay attention to any of your lessons?" Snagging a book from a shelf that Tana hadn't noticed before, she flipped through it until she was more than halfway through it. "Here it is." She plopped the book on the table, taking a seat as she began to read out loud. "Early in the month of _Aibreán_ , the Nymph Kingdom was attacked at the border by King Hreidmar's forces. He sought to take the Nymph's lands for himself, and failed. Queen Fenlie," Here she paused with a smile, meeting Tana's eyes, " _ **I**_ secured a treaty with the Goblin Kingdom. Due to the strength and size of the combined Kingdoms, Hreidmar knew he was outmatched and withdrew his attacks."

Closing the book, Tana noted the title. "History of the Nymphs" was written in large, bold script. Tana slowly considered her next words. "What about the Prince then? Has he...said anything about me?"

Fenlie smiled impishly. "You'll have to wait for him to tell you himself. He'll be at the celebration tonight, you know."

Tana frowned. "What celebration?"

"Don't tell me you forgot! It's the start of the summer festival Lughnasadh! The races won't start until tomorrow, but today there will be music, dancing, and drinking well into the night." She winked. "You know, there's a rumor that says if you kiss your lover during the dances you'll marry them by next Beltain."

Tana's face burned as she looked away in embarrassment. "Mother!"

"Oh come now, it's not like you haven't kissed him already, right?"

She didn't think it was possible for her face to burn any brighter, yet she was sure that she probably looked like a tomato with how hot her cheeks felt.

Fenlie laughed, wrapping an arm around her daughter fondly. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. He's a good match and impossibly handsome. You'd do well to marry him. And as a bonus, I think you actually _like_ the boy."

"Me? Like him?! He's just so...so... _arrogant!_ "

Her mother frowned. "Oh no...don't tell me you two had a fight already?"

Tana searched her memories, but came up blank. She was mad at the prince, but she couldn't exactly remember why. She'd been mad at him when he kissed her, but the more she tried to remember why, the hazier it seemed to become.

What was wrong with her?

The older woman pulled her from her thoughts. "Don't dwell on it; I'm sure it's nothing more than a little quarrel. In the meantime, let's start getting you ready! Do you have a dress picked yet?"

Dazedly, Tana shook her head and Fenlie clapped her hands. "Then let's see what you've got in that closet- I'm sure you've got something that'll work. Tonight is a much more casual affair than some of our events."

Effectively distracted, Tana followed her mother back to bedroom to get ready.

When Prince Jareth came to consciousness again, he was in a forest. Sun filtered through a heavy canopy of green leaves, the soft breeze carrying the barest hints of a melody. Glancing at himself, he was startled to see he no longer wore the armor of the Goblin Monarchy, but was rather dressed in a way he reserved for lounging at home. A light, flowing white shirt and comfortably tight breeches...and bare feet?

A Prince did _not_ wander around barefoot, unless...

This was a Fae celebration.

Strains of violin again filtered through the trees, words beginning to form. He followed the melody, the strains of the song becoming louder and words forming in the air. From the trees he emerged into a large clearing.

He'd been right; this was clearly a summer festival. Revelers danced with abandon to the fast-paced melody played by a nearby band. Several kegs looked as though they had already been emptied with dozens more nearby ready for consumption. There was a tent nearby as well as a large fire pit that had yet to be lit. It would likely burn once twilight fell over the glade. Strings of lanterns also remained unlit, as for now the sun high above provided more than ample lighting.

Moving quickly towards the dancers, he knew Tana had to be among them. The pixie hadn't been lying in his malice. This could be a real festival, or it could be a creation in Tana's mind, an illusion spun by the Pixies to prey on her deepest desires.

He had to get her out of her before his own senses became muddled. Fae though he may be, he wasn't immune to this sort of magic. Among the swirling bodies, he thought he saw a wild head of curly hair vanish back into the swarm of figures.

Relieved, he threw himself into the cluster of fae, trying to dance his way closer. She darted in and out, evading him with elegant and quick movements. It didn't seem as though she'd noticed his presence yet. He took the opportunity to drink her in- she was captivating after all. She shimmered in the lightest of green dresses, thin drapes of fabric forming a short skirt as the loose material moved to her rhythm. The pieces of fabric separated as she moved, showing tantalizing slivers of flawless thigh. Then she was gone again, leaving him breathless as he waited for another glimpse of her. Emerging again from the throng, skin glowing in the sunlight and caramel eyes shining, the sight made his heart stumble in his chest. Laughter rippled in the air as magic tangled around him, and then she was gone again.

He ached to see her, and before he was fully aware of it, he was moving towards her once more. Pushing through the dancers, he caught a flash of espresso colored hair and laughing honey eyes.

Hypnotized, he went towards her. The women were all wearing short, flowing dresses; the men in loose shorts and bare chests. All were barefoot. Leaves, flowers, and other manner of fauna were twisted in their hair.

She continued to dart in and out of his vision. Vines sparkled in her rich, dark, hair, her eyes bright as she tossed her head back in abandon. He struggled to keep her within his line of sight as she darted in and out of the cluster of dancers, exchanging partners as the tempo increased. Those liquid eyes seemed to be searching for something, never focused on who she was dancing with. Briefly, their gazes met; she gave him a small smile and twirled away, evading him coyly.

He frowned. Had she forgotten him so completely?

Without realizing it, his own focus slipped the more he tried to find her in the crush of dancing bodies. She was spectacular. Those perfect, full curves were hypnotizing as she spun and swayed. The tantalizing flash of smooth, firm flesh beneath the thin fabric drove him to distraction. The dancers, with their laughing eyes, smiled knowingly at him, laughing as he sought her out, desperate just to see her.

Although he no longer understood why it was so urgent that he get to her, the compulsion to reach her was overwhelming. The dancer's movements became more rapid, sweeping him along and keeping his goal just out of reach.

It wasn't until the music changed that she finally stopped and met his eyes. For a moment, there was no one else around them as his arms found their way around her. Tana's face broke into a smile as her own arms wound around him in return, drawing their bodies close as the music abruptly changed. Her molten golden eyes drew him in, inviting and challenging him all at once. Possessiveness clawed at him. She was his, and his grip tightened further, pulling her even closer than what was decent in front of others. Those sweet curves molded into him perfectly, sighing against him in submission. Fire spread from every nerve ending he possessed, that primitive instinct within him crowing in triumph at his perceived dominance.

Had he been in his right mind, he might have questioned her acquiescence, but as it was he couldn't focus on anything but her. Her cherry lips and satin hair, golden eyes and gentle touch, the irresistible pull that came from somewhere deep with himself, demanding he make her his.

And he wanted to. He wanted to posses her; and he would be her slave.

Words began to form in the air. But this...this wasn't his song. Something niggled in the back of his mind that this wasn't right, that something was wrong, but he was too enchanted by her perfect lips forming the words to care. The warm air enveloped them, the other dancers falling away to watch them slide effortlessly through the glade. She twirled and dipped, responding to his cues flawlessly, never once missing a step as she sang to him.

The music faded away as she clung to him, her eyes shining as the song drifted into the trees. A shiver shook her as he pressed her to his lean form, running his fingers through her perfect, satin curls as he held her close. When he spoke, his voice was ragged and strained. "Nymph" He rasped, his mis-matched orbs boring into her with a searing look that set her blood on fire. It was with aching slowness that he began to close the distance between them further, intent on discovering if her lips tasted as delicious as they looked.

Thoughts no longer existed between them as she felt herself moving towards him, matching heartbeats racing in mutual anticipation. Every nerve tingled as he came closer. She wanted to feel him, remembering how he'd pressed her to the wall, the feel of his firm body pinning her to the wall; craving that touch again. His lips were a breath away, so close she could feel them lightly brush against hers, those arms gathering her close. His hair, soft as owl's feathers, brushed against her forehead. Her eyes shut against the softness, an image springing to her mind; one of an owl swooping into a living room, terror flashing in a pair of innocent blue eyes.

Ice swept through her. Her sister! How could she have forgotten?

Tana threw her arms against him, breaking his embrace. Hurt flashed across his face as she wrenched away, taking an involuntary step back, arms dropping limply to his sides in disbelief. The revelers laughed and closed in around her, the crush of their bodies trapping her. A shriek ripped from her throat as fear clawed at her, strangled and pressed by bodies around her. Jareth shoved his way through the throng, forcing his way through until he felt her slim fingers grasp onto his arm. With a firm tug, he freed them from the revelers.

Deep rooted instincts flared to life, warning him of danger. The dancers screeched; a high, horrible sound. Chills shot down his spine, something inside telling him that they needed to get out of here, fast, even if he didn't know the reason why.

Freed from the dancers, their gazes met. Understanding flashed in her eyes, and before he could say anything, she darted off into the forest.

Tana's movements were remarkably nimble and effortless as she barreled through the brush at a speed that she shouldn't have been capable of. Skidding to a halt at the edge of a short cliff, she peered into the clear lake below. Jareth crashed out of the brush behind her, halting at the sight of her standing on the precipice. Conflict raged within him, torn between wanting to call her back and feeling the need to escape, though he didn't know why. She looked again to the water, and without any further hesitation, she plunged into the unknown.

The dream shattered.

The screams of the Fae revelers echoed in his ears as he jolted awake, safe in the castle. Taking a long, slow breath of relief, he slowly sat up. Pressing a palm to his forehead against the impending headache, he fought to remember the hazy details of the dream, though it was rapidly fading.

He glanced around. The familiar walls of his own room surrounded him. Whatever the dream had been, it clearly wasn't that important. Although he had the niggling sensation that he was missing something significant. Sunlight streaming through his window threw him off. What had he been doing sleeping at this time of day? And why was he fully dressed?

Jareth struggled to remember what he'd been doing before he feel asleep, but it was like trying to grasp at fine mist. The absence of memory was disconcerting and simply wrong. Something was missing. But what was it? Determined to find out, he strode off to find his parents.

Surely his father would have some idea of what could have caused the blank space in his memory.

As always, please review!


	18. Chapter 18: Memory

A/N: There's a few things I'm not 100% happy with in this chapter; the second paragraph for one, and the overall "pacing" feels strange to me since it's so short. Please give me suggestions! I need it for this chapter in particular. Thank you!

Seriously, do I need a disclaimer at this point?

Chapter 18: The Aftershock

Tana woke, head throbbing and surrounded by garbage. Rising slowly, she blinked, taking stock of her current situation. Where was she? How on earth had she gotten here? Wiping a rotten banana peel off her jeans, she struggled to balance on the trash as she stood up and got a good look around. Across the garbage-filled hills, a castle appeared miles away. But it seemed so far. She gazed across the hills of junk piled high around her; this place was bigger than any landfill she'd ever seen. Why was she here? A sparkling blue piece of broken glass sparkled on the ground beside her. Seeing it, something tugged in her mind, something forgotten and just out of reach. Brow furrowing as she strained to remember. What was it? Looking again at the structure in the distance, she figured that was where she'd been going.

"Damn." She muttered as she stared off at the looming fortress. Maybe if she went towards it, she'd meet someone that could help her. As her foot game down to take her first step, she was sent tumbling back to the ground with a shriek when the lump under her foot shifted, throwing her off balance at the unexpected movement . An annoyed, gruff-sounding yell squawked at her, and she stared in surprise at what appeared to be a shriveled-up prune of a woman.

"Get off my back!"

"Oh! Sorry..." Tana stuttered, looking at the person that she'd inadvertently pissed off and crab-crawling backwards as the woman shuffled to face her more fully, yellow eyes glaring unpleasantly.

She was hunched under the weight of the stuff stacked high on her back. The beady eyes that glared at her from a face that resembled a shriveled apple were decidedly unkind. Tana blinked at her, unsure what to make of this latest development.

"Why don't you watch where you're going?!" the unpleasant looking woman rasped, her voice equally unappealing.

"I'm sorry..." She started to apologize again, but the garbage-covered woman cut her off.

"Just where WERE you going, anyways?!"

"Oh, um..." Tana stammered, struggling to remember where she had been heading. Glancing into the distance, a feeling of resolution formed within her, adding a strong edge to her voice when she replied. "The castle. I need to get to the castle."

"Why would you want to go there? Those damned royals are just a buncha cheats. Always tryin' to get our taxes. Why should we have to pay taxes? Its our damn property!"

The Royals. A pair of beautiful, mismatched eyes flashed in her mind, a memory hidden just below the surface rising. She felt her heart lurch as she focused on the eyes, the rest of a flawless, chiseled face forming. Jareth.

More certain now than ever that she needed to reach the castle, she tried to extricate herself from this ugly, angry woman. "Well that's unfortunate, taxes are no fun to pay, but if you don't mind, I'd like to find my friends so I'd better get going..."

The trash lady glared, then gave her a sweeping look of appraisal. "Human eh? I think a pretty little thing like you would fetch me a fair price at market."

With that, handcuffs appeared out of nowhere and clasped onto her wrists, a long chain connecting the bracelets to the trash-lady.

"HEY!" Tana cried, throwing herself against the chains uselessly.

"Now now," the trash-lady growled. "None of that. Just follow me." With a sharp yank on the chains, Tana was forced to stumble forward. Finding herself helpless at the moment, she followed, looking for any sort of escape as they began to make their way to the junk.

They marched for what felt like hours, Tana stumbling over the trash that the old woman seemed to move through easily before they arrived at the gates of the Goblin City. Demanding entry, the guards eyed them with distaste as they allowed them passage. If nothing else, Tana figured, she was a hell of a lot closer to the Castle than she had been on her own.

She glanced around the city. The building were ramshackle but sturdy, several little vendor carts set up to sell their goods. The items were eclectic, ranging from fruits and vegetables to things she'd rather not consider. Stumbling forward from another stern yank on the chain, the woman finally stopped in front of a building that resembled either a jail or a brothel. She couldn't figure out which it was.

After some haggling with the guard outside, coins were exchanged. As her chain was handed over, she caught sight of a familiar-seeming dwarf walking through the street. A name swam to the surface of her mind, and before she realized it she'd called out to him.

"Hoggle!"

Hoggle turned, eyes widening at the sight of her, before the guard yanked on her chain and shoved her inside. It took her eyes a minute to adjust, and before she got a good look at her surroundings she was dragged through what could have been a sitting room, then through a heavy door. This room was large, with cells made of bars that stretched from floor to ceiling, 5 on each side of the room. All were shut and sealed with heavy locks. There were no other prisoners here. There was another door on the opposite side of the room.

The guard looked at her from under heavy brows. "Just had an auction yesterday. Cleared out the entire stock. You're the first of the new crop." He gave her a sniff appreciatively, and she recoiled at his smirk. "Not a bad start."

She shuddered, skin prickling. This must be a slave market.

She was thrown into a cell, the metal door clanging shut behind her. Waiting until the guard had slammed the door shut behind him, she pulled a pin out of her hair and set to work on the lock. Her pin quickly broke. It was much stronger than the one that had been on Taviki's cage.

Taviki. Another rush of memories hit her, and she felt sick. "I need to get out of here" she murmured to the darkness. Plucking another pin from her hair and sending more of her hair tumbling, she carefully began again.

Only a precious few minutes had passed before she heard the door open in the back of the room. Quickly shoving the pin into her pocket, Tana braced herself against this new potential threat, curling up in the back of her cell as the figure moved closer, silent as the shadows.

It stopped her cell, peering at her with a gruff, curious expression written across his craggy face. Relief spread through her. "Hoggle! Am I glad to see you!" More memories began clicking into place.

Hoggle didn't notice the look on her face, as he continued to look at the ground, embarrassed. "Now don't go getting all mushy on me. I just cames to get my property back."

Tana smiled at him, remembering everything. "Don't act so hard. I know you're my friend."

"We AIN'TS friends!" He denied, glaring at her, but he set to work on the lock with a sturdy-looking pick. Making a quick job of it, he was swinging the door open far faster than Tana thought possible.

Hugging him, she handed him his jewels. "Thanks, Hoggle. I guess you can have these back."

Taking the bag with a gruff sound of appreciation, he glanced at the door. "Well let's get going then befores they finds us!"

"Right!" She nodded, then the two slipped out the back door unnoticed and into the Goblin City with Hoggle.

Once they were outside, she asked him if he'd seen their other, more furry friend.

The dwarf shook his head. "Can't say that I have. He ain't with you?"

"We got separated in the forest. I was hoping maybe he'd caught up with you."

"No, sorry." Then he eyed her up and down. "Now, we needs to change you into somethin' else. You stick out dressed like that."

She glanced at her outfit. He was right. "Where can I get something to cover up with?"

He glanced at a nearby stall. "Waits just a minute."

With that, he hurried into the shop, returning several minutes later with a large brown cloak.

"This oughts to do it" he said, handing her the garment.

With the hood up, she was effectively covered from head to toe. While she was still taller than many of the others around her, she was no longer a conspicuous. Hoggle nodded approvingly. "Alrights. I think we can gets in through the garden- Easier that way anyhow. Won't have to deal with the big guy at the gate again."

She didn't have a chance to ask him what he meant by "again", as he started off, quickly weaving into the crowd. Catching up with him, he began talking. "Once your in the castle, you shouldn't have no troubles. Still wantsta watch your step though. I'm gonna reckon the Prince won't be nones to happy to see ya."

Cringing at the mention of the Prince, her mind flew to the last time she'd seen him; that dream. It had been so real. And that song...she hugged herself. She hoped that it really hadn't been him, that he had just been a figment of her imagination. The way he'd looked at her, like he'd wanted to devour her... Even now, just remembering the almost-kiss set her blood on fire. Forcing herself to think again of her sister, she reminded herself why she was here. She needed her freedom, and to see her family again.

Steeling her resolve, she glanced at Hoggle. "How will I know where to go?"

"There's a staircase, just passed the throne room. Only goes to one place, I reckon." Turning a corner, they barely missed being spotted by a guard.

Finally, they slipped through another gate (courtesy of Hoggle's lockpicking skills), and entered what must have been the Royal Gardens.

A rustling in the bushes nearby had both of them freezing up, but when a friendly, pointy face poked out, Tana rushed to him in delight.

"Taviki! Where'd you go? I'm so happy to see you!"

The weasel flopped unceremoniously out of the hedge, accepting Tana's enthusiastic hug. "Just got a bit waylaid, that's all. Hard to follow your scent in this place."

She eyed him. "I thought you didn't know your way through the Labyrinth."

"Well I don't! Followed my nose. Caught a whiff of ya and knew ya couldn't be far off!"

"I'm glad both of you are with me." She embraced them both, Hoggle squirming in discomfort. "Let's get moving."

"Right!" Her companions chirped in unison.

And with that, the trio headed inside.

Please review!


	19. Chapter 19: Family

Tana slipped silently around the corner, her companions in tow. The castle was eerily silent, and they found their way without disturbance. Finding the staircase, she paused, staring up into the unknown.

Hoggle urged her forward. "Whatcha waiting for?"

"I just..." She hesitated.

Taviki tilted his head curiously. "What's the matter?"

Tears welled in her eyes. "I finally find magic, and I'm fighting to leave as fast as I can! It's not fair!"

"Well..." Hoggle said slowly, "Ya could stay..."

She smiled sadly at him. "I'm sorry, Hoggle, but I can't. Can't you see? I have to have my freedom, and my family will miss me." Even as she said it, her voice sounded hollow. "Will you wait here for me? So I can say goodbye?"

"But why?" Taviki protested.

Smiling gently and patting his head, she replied simply "Because that's the way it's done."

Hoggle closed his eyes in resignation, then looked at her with fond resignation. "But should you need us..."

Hugging him, she replied "I'll call."

And with that, she began climbing the stairs. Her steps echoed hollowly against the stone walls, each footfall heavier than the last. Her thoughts whirled as she ascended.

Did she want to leave the Labyrinth? She felt the magic, swirling around her like a tangible entity she could reach out and touch. For the first time, she felt a sense of completeness. This was where she belonged. And yet...

Callie's face flashed in her mind, followed quickly by the warm, adoring smile of their mother. Memories played in her mind as she continued her trek. Watching old home videos of Tana taking her first steps, the glowing pride of her family as she walked across the stage to accept her high school diploma, holding hands in solidarity as Grandpa's will was read.

There was no way she could abandon them. They had done so much for her, been there for her, every step of her life. For them, she would do anything. Even defeat this Labyrinth.

Finally she came to the end of the stairs. Holding her breath in anticipation, she laid her palm on the smooth wood. This was it. The final challenge. Giving the door a push, she took a single step inside and was immediately assailed by a wild sense of vertigo. Stairs twisted and changed in impossible directions, going every which way. Up, right, left, right, even upside down. Some ended at doors leading to no where, offering empty promises of escape.

The door slammed shut behind her.

Her heart stopped, but she didn't glance at the sound. Somehow she'd expected that. Releasing a slow breath, she felt an odd sense of calm resignation. There was no turning back now, even if she hadn't already made her decision. Now what? Where was she supposed to go? Stairs and platforms met at impossible angles, doors and arches leading nowhere to stairs that had no beginning or end.

Swallowing thickly, she took another tentative step forward. In the book, this was when the girl leaped to save her brother. Looking down, all she saw was a hard stone floor, and even more dizzying steps.

There had to be another way out of here.

Just as thought ran through her mind, a woman with dark olive skin and shiny, blue-black hair, stepped out from a staircase, perched sideways on a set of stairs several yards away. Her golden eyes flashed warmly and her voice was like warm honey pouring soothingly over Tana's senses.

"Tana. It's a pleasure to see you."

Tana stared in confusion. How did this woman know her name? The words tumbled out before she realized she'd spoken. "Who are you?"

The woman smiled mysteriously, disappearing around a staircase. Tana launched herself after her, ignoring the impossibility of the stairs and the way her senses were reeling as she focused on the figure that had vanished. She had to hold the key to escaping.

Pausing on platform between staircases, her eyes darted back and forth, seeking her out. She appeared behind Tana, her voice startling her. "My name is Fenlie, Queen of the Nymphs."

Taking a few steps, she moved quite literally through Tana, her presence washing over the younger woman like a warm blanket. Fenlie's essence was so warm and soothing. Tana felt herself wanting to trust her immediately.

She turned, eyes sparkling at Tana. "You haven't awakened your power yet, my love."

"What do you mean?" Tana shouted as Fenlie vanished again.

Fenlie smiled, reappearing in an archway. "There is so much power within you... your blood is so strong."

"What are you talking about?"

"You never wondered?" The Nymph replied, walking upside-down a flight of stairs. "About your real parents?"

Tana's head reeled. "And how would you know about that?"

Fenlie smiled. "I can give you answers. But first, you must find yourself..." She vanished again, leaving only her voice echoing in the room. "I do... believe in you..."

She heard Fenlie's voice again, singing in a beautifully lyrical voice. "Yes I do..."

The floor below yawned, black and infinite. Horror formed in the pit of her stomach as she realized that she would have to jump into that nothingness. Fenlie's warm voice reassured her softly "Don't worry Love... You're stronger than you know."

Why was this woman helping her? She didn't have time to ponder this, because from somewhere in the room, a booming clock chimed. There was no more time for fear. She jumped.

Her eyes had been squeezed shut, but she opened them slowly when instead of landing on...well, anything, Tana found herself floating softly through the air. Pieces of the room floated up around her, staircases and bricks flying up and away, some bit vanishing entirely while others remained, forming a loose ring. Her feet touched down amid the circle, mist obscuring anything beyond.

From behind one of the remnants of a wall, Fenlie stepped out. Her clothing was gray and faded, but her golden eyes were bright and delighted.

"I'm so proud of you, love."

"What?"

Fenlie continued as if Tana hadn't spoken. "You could stay here, you know. Live among the Fae, be one of us. Surrounded by Magic and dreams. You would belong. And really, the Prince has been quite generous towards you."

Tana's heart lurched as her deepest desires were laid bare. Deciding not to travel that particular rabbit hole, she focused on Fenlie's comment about Jareth. "Generous? How has been been generous?"

The Queen's smile was full of mischief, raising suspicion in Tana's mind. "Oh my love, you simply cannot see. He broke the rules of the Labyrinth for you and is currently feeling the consequence of his action. Is that not generous?"

Tana's head swam, but no words came out. Dammit, she wanted to know. What rule had the Prince broken for her? Could it be possible that he had feelings for her? It took several long moments before her thoughts settled again. She couldn't think of the Prince right now. She had to stay focused on getting out of here. Maybe, just maybe, after this was over, she would see him again. Lines from the story ran through her mind, and she found them falling from her lips before she realized fully what she was saying. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered-"

The older woman interrupted her. "Stop." She took a deep breath, appearing to steady herself, then raised what appeared to be a perfectly round bundle of vines to eye-level. "Stay here. I will give you everything. Let me be the mother I never was, and I will give you everything you ever wanted."

Tana faltered at Fenlie's words. "My...Mother?"

Fenlie smiled softly. "Yes, my love. I have so much to show you."

For the first time, Tana felt her resolve start to crumble. The nymph's kind gaze held no malice, no treachery.

And Tana cursed herself for wanting to stay. For wanting to give in, to wrap herself in this world and never leave.

It was with true regret and pain that she spoke her next words. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I can't stay here." Taking a long, shaky breath, she closed her eyes. The words from the book sprang to her mind. Opening her eyes once more to look at Fenlie with sadness behind her determined expression, she finally spoke the words she knew would bring the magic crashing down. "You have no power over me."

Fenlie's face was disappointed, but there was a slight quirk to her lips that belied her delight. The ball of vines drifted to Tana, shrinking in her palm. Meanwhile, leaves swirled around Fenlie, expanding and growing, consuming the Fae completely. Simultaneously, Tana's stomach lurched as everything around her felt like it shifted awfully around her. She squeezed her eyes shut against the sensation, fighting the sudden onslaught of nausea. When she opened her eyes again, where Fenlie had stood, the there was nothing more than leaves blowing out of Tana's living room window.

For a moment, Tana just stared, dumbfounded, out the window as the last trace of her adventure disappeared from sight. It was over. It was really over. She was back. Somehow, she was incredibly disappointed at how anti-climatic her return had been. Then she snapped back to reality. Where was Callie?

Spinning around frantically, she was relieved to find her sister snoozing peacefully on the couch. Gently smiling, she draped a blanket over her, Callie mumbling something incoherent in her sleep and snuggling into the warmth. Flicking off the light, Tana headed to the bathroom to clean up from her excursion.

As she splashed water on her face, Taviki appeared behind her reflection. "Guess this is goodbye, then." he said, ears drooping a bit.

He was here! Looking behind her, she realized he wasn't really in the room with her, but in the mirror. Turning to face him again, she didn't have a chance to respond before he was replaced by Hoggle.

The dwarf's craggy face looked at her a bit sadly. "Good knowing you. And remember, should you need us..."

Tears pricked her eyes. "Don't go. I need you. I need all of you."

He scowled, looking at her suspicioiusly. "What fer?"

She gave him a watery smile. "To remind myself that I'm not crazy- that magic IS real."

With that declaration, he brightened. "Well, Why didn't you say so!"

And with that, he and Taviki materialized in her bathroom, the weasle bowling her over with his affection. Hoggle simply grinned.

They talked and played games late into the night. Reflecting on the evening later on, Tana would never understand how her sister never woke up from the commotion. For the first time in her life, Tana felt the sense that she genuinely belonged. When her friends finally vanished back through the mirror with warm farewells, she felt lonelier than she had ever before.

Glancing at the clock, she realized it was close to one in the morning. Yawning, she finished cleaning up and changed into her pajamas. Securing all of her windows, she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, wondering where her Prince could be.


	20. Chapter 20: Truth

Tana was walking through a garden. She knew it was a dream, but it was so soothing that she chose to stay. Soft sunlight shone down, but she was shielded from its rays by the brim of a large hat, the sort she might have worn to the beach. A fountain bubbled nearby, concrete benches littering a brick path. The trees in the garden were short and tidy, some bearing small fruits.

On one of the benches, the familiar figure of a lovely woman with satin black hair, wearing a long simple gown, sat. Her big golden eyes met Tana's, lighting up happily. Patting the bench seat next to her, the strange woman gestured for Tana to join her. She obliged.

"Tana." She said in that comforting voice of hers, "I'm so glad to meet you under better circumstances."

"I'm sorry" Tana said, dipping her head meekly. "But I don't think I know your name."

"My name is Fenlie. I am the Queen of the Nymphs."

It took Tana several seconds to recall her from the castle, and even then it took Tana several moments to digest this information before she spoke again. "Why are you here? I beat the Labyrinth. And wait...you're my _mother ?_ "

Fenlie took Tana's hand, a soft smile still playing on her lips. "Let me tell you a story; I think you'll understand. You're a clever girl."

Taking a long breath, she began. "Not long ago, King Hreidmar tried to overtake my kingdom. His younger brother, Foster, was the forest guardian and knew how Hreidmar would destroy my world, mining it dry." Here she paused, looking away wistfully.

"I suppose it was simply circumstances that drew us together, but as it was, Foster and I...we..." She choked, tears pricking her eyes. Tana squeezed her hand, understanding the grief the woman was clearly feeling.

"What happened?" Tana gently prodded.

Fenlie took a deep, steadying breath. "Hreidmar attacked; ambushed us. We managed to defeat him, but with heavy losses, including Foster." She took a shuddering breath, and looked at Tana affectionately.

"After that, I found out I was pregnant. Fearing another attack, I sent the child above-ground, knowing Hreidmar would see it as a threat to his throne as his brother's daughter. I didn't know that the family that picked the child up had been touched by Fae, which protected them from detection. I couldn't find my baby after that, though I tried. It wasn't until the King, Jareth, contacted me that I knew what had become of the child."

Slowly, realization began to dawn in Tana's own honey-gold eyes.

"You see, it must have been his magic that protected you all those years. It was his wife's family that had taken you in. Your Grandfather, Toby, was her brother."

Tana swallowed. "Grandpa Toby... His...Sister...?"

She nodded in confirmation. "Queen Sarah. I can only guess that to protect them, she and Jareth must have placed some sort of protective magic on her entire family. Mortals are terribly fragile and would have been easy for their enemies to target. The magic the cast must have prevented any other fairy creature from finding them. So you, by extension, were hidden as well."

Tana pondered this, the knowledge not nearly as shocking as it should have been. She'd always known she was different, so in a weird way it made sense. "Ok. So I'm a Faerie then?"

Fenlie smiled kindly. "Well, yes, in part. You are half Woodland Nymph. Foster however was a Faerie full and true."

"So he was my...?"

The older woman squeezed her hand affectionately. "Yes. He was your Father."

Tana closed her eyes. "I suppose that explains a few things then."

Unexpectedly, tears filled Fenlie's eyes, and she clasped Tana's hand with both of hers. "I wish I could've found you sooner. When I couldn't find you, I feared the worst."

Tana said nothing, but wrapped her in a hug. They embraced for a moment, a few silent tears spilling down the Nymph's face. Tana pulled back, suddenly curious. "Why didn't you come find me in the Labyrinth then? I could've used a little help you know."

The nymph laughed lightly. "Oh sweetheart, I couldn't have even if I wanted to. Once a runner enters, the Labyrinth shuts its gates. I couldn't have gotten in even if I'd known you were in there. If it wasn't for King Jareth, I never would have been able to meet you at the end. And if someone wins, the gates will remain shut until the Labyrinth's champion has made her choice."

"What do you mean?"

Fenlie laughed lightly. "Leave it to the Prince to leave that part out."

"What part?" Tana asked, growing ever more confused.

"The part where if you win the Labyrinth, it means your the Prince's equal. You could rule, at his side, if you so choose."

Tana's heart fluttered. All this time, she thought she was just winning her own freedom, but there was so much more. Did she want to be with the Prince? Speaking of, where had he been?

Misinterpreting her silence, Fenlie gently patted her knee. "Don't worry, love, there is no hurry. Go back to your life for now. When the time is right, I'll come for you."

Tana tried to protest. "Wait-"

But Fenlie was gone, and sunlight was shining through her bedroom window.

Fenlie materialized in front of the King, a wide smile stretching across her lips.

The current monarch was mildly grumpy. For one, it was ungodly early in the morning, and two, his son had been extremely trying recently. "I do hope you have a reason for rousing me this early." he snipped, doing his best to remain cordial.

"I thought my King would be interested to know that I have found the girl's heritage."

Now this captured his interest, and he raised a brow. "Well?"

"Do you remember Foster, Hreidmar's brother?"

The king nodded. "Yes. I liked him enormously. I did not think he had any children however, before his untimely death. That would explain why she was sent away, and why at first I thought she was one of Hreidmar's illegitimate children. However, how could she be Foster's? I was under the impression that he was killed aiding you in defending your lands before that treaty was negotiated."

Fenlie dipped her head. "That is true. What you may not know, however is that Foster and I were more than merely Allies."

She did not need to elaborate further for Jareth to understand. He remained silent, for a moment considering the implications of this before he asked "Why send her aboveground, then?"

She responded without hesitation. "After the attacks, I couldn't be sure of her safety. Things were tenuous, and I was uncertain of how the people would react to an unwed Queen bearing a child out of wedlock. It could have been seen as a black mark on my character, and another reason to overthrow my throne."

"You never tried to find her, after that?"

Fenlie's head dropped, dark hair covering her expression. "After she was taken by the William's family, I was no longer able to see her. It was as if another magic surrounded her, making her inaccessible. Your doing, I would assume."

Jareth nodded. "My wife's, actually. She placed magical barriers on her family once she learned she could do so; she wanted to ensure any enemies of our throne didn't seek vengeance through her loved ones."

Fenlie smiled "I should have known."

The King rested a hand on her shoulder. "How long have you known?"

The Nymph shrugged. "I suspected when you first showed me her image; however I didn't know for sure until I met her in your castle. Once I felt her magic, I knew for certain she was mine."

"Why didn't you tell me of your suspicions, Fenlie?"

"When you first said you were seeking her lineage, I wasn't certain of your intentions. I didn't want to put her in harm's way, so I waited, watching."

"Why allow her to run the Labyrinth then? Why not intervene?"

"You know as well as I do that the Labyrinth closes its gates once a runner enters. I knew there was nothing I, nor yourself, could do." Then her eyes took on a mischievous twinkle. "Besides, I saw your son's face. I knew that no true harm would come to her in your kingdom."

Slowly, a smile spread across Jareth's visage. "You sneaky little Nymph. I ought to have you bogged for your treachery."

She returned his smile, recognizing when her King was teasing her. "Careful, my king, lest I rescind my approval of their union."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why would your approval be needed?"

"What better way to secure an alliance for generations to come, than by a marriage of my daughter to your son?" She asked, trying her best to blink innocently through her mischievous smile.

He couldn't stop smiling. "So you plan on acknowledging Tana as your heir?"

Fenlie's returning smile was equally as large. "Of course. And," she added, "I understand she has already met the criteria of defeating the Labyrinth."

Jareth laughed outright. "I'm glad you're on my side, Fenlie."

Her expression softened. "Me too, your Highness. Me too."


	21. Chapter 21:Found

A/N: I'll be the first to admit that this chapter feels "weird". I can't decide what to do to fix these last few chapters, so please offer constructive criticism! Thank you!

Chapter 21: Changes

Tana tapped an ink pen on her desk impatiently. It had been four days since her last contact with anyone from the Labyrinth. It was hard to contact Taviki and Hoggle, without her sister noticing. She needed privacy to talk to them; especially with Taviki's rather rambunctious nature. She shifted, feeling completely out of place in the office she had spent so much of her adult life in.

At first, she refused to admit that something deep within her had changed. It wasn't just that it felt like there was now a bottomless pit clawing at her heart nonstop. She could almost have dealt with that pain. There were other changes that she couldn't hide.

She hadn't noticed the physical changes until her sister commented on them. Callie had noticed her eyes were now a golden honey color instead of chocolate brown; Tana covered it up by telling her it was new contacts. Her hair had also transformed into satiny smooth spirals, and she blamed it on a new conditioner. Callie had been suspicious, but accepted the explanation without too much of a fuss. Lying to her sister wasn't the hardest part.

What threw her off the most was that things made of Iron now gave her a rash. The first time it happened, she chalked it up to an allergic reaction. Maybe there was something in the dish soap that aggravated her? But after the handle of her favorite cast iron skillet left a nasty burn on her palm, she knew.

After all of that, Tana had to admit the truth. Her Fae blood had been awakened, and her life would never go back to normal.

Restlessness ate at her. Pacing the apartment while Callie sprawled on the couch, she found her gaze flitting to the windows constantly. No matter how many times she looked, the one thing she longed to see never appeared.

Finally, Callie's voice interrupted her train on thoughts. "You're going to wear a hole in the floor, you know. The neighbors are gonna hate us."

Tana dropped into a chair. "I'm sorry. I think I'm just a little stir crazy."

Her sister sat up a little straighter. "Wanna go out tonight?"

She chewed her lip. Did she really want to? Not particularly. Then again, it might be a good distraction. "Sure."

Several hours later, Tana sipped a drink in a bar while Callie flirted playfully. She glanced around, but knew that the head of wild dark blond hair she wanted to see wouldn't appear. It'd been five days, at least, since she'd seen him last. Not since the dream.

Callie poked her in the side, distracting her from her thoughts. "Let's go dance!" Putting her drink down, Tana nodded absently and followed her sister's lead.

*Meanwhile, in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City*

Prince Jareth paced the castle. Something was most certainly amiss, but what? The Labyrinth's gates were closed, which meant there was or had been a runner within its walls. So why couldn't he remember? He was its guardian! It seemed the more he tried, the more elusive it became. The memory was like water slipping through his fingers, and it was infuriating.

His father refused to help him. It was part of the challenge, he'd said. He could not interfere, as the Labyrinth was now testing his will. The Prince was on his own.

Most unnerving of all, was an angry, snarling instinct inside him, demanding he find this person. He'd never experienced anything like it. It was like a part of himself had been cut off, and now everything within him was screaming to find its missing half.

Anger, frustration, and an unknown ache spurred him out and over the Labyrinth. Flying low over the walls, his sharp eyes searched for something that would trigger any sort of memory. Giving up, he headed towards the entrance. No one entered the Labyrinth without the gate-keeper knowing.

Higgle (or something, he never could quite remember the Dwarf's name) was spraying pixie-type fairies at the gate. Something important niggled at him. Pixies. That was significant. He'd look more into that later, after he was done with Higwig.

Hoggle jumped and flattened himself to the ground when Jareth landed and transformed, smushing his bulbous nose to the dry earth. "Your Majesty," his muffled voice said, not daring to look up. "What a pleasant surprise."

Jareth barely held back a snort. It was clear the dwarf was no more delighted to see him than he was to be there at the present moment. "Hoghead."

"Hog-gle!" the dwarf snapped, raising himself up. Just like his father, this one was. What Sarah saw in the King, he'd never know.

"Yes." Jareth continued absently, inclining his head. "Tell me, have you been helping a runner?"

Hoggle eyed him suspiciously, a familiar lie slipping past his lips easily. "Helping? I was leading her back to the beginnin'. Little lady gave me the slip though."

The prince's eyes narrowed; he knew the dwarf was lying. It was hard to call him on it, since he didn't particularly want to give away that he had lost his memory. But, he also needed to know who this girl was. That instinct was snarling, something struggling to remember what he'd forgot. The memory was just at the surface of his mind, barely out of reach, like a phrase dangling on the tip of his tongue. Tamping down his pride, he snapped at the dwarf. "Where did you last see her? Don't lie to me Hoggle, or else it's straight to the bog." he warned.

Sweat broke out on the Dwarf's brow at the piercing look the Prince gave him, and he began stammering. "Well, uh, you see, erm, she..."

Jareth grabbed him by the vest, lifting him up. "Spit it out, or else it's the bog!"

"THE CASTLE!" He cried, grabbing the Prince's wrist.

Jareth's eyes widened, and he dropped the dwarf in surprise. "WHAT?" He roared. No. She couldn't have! But then, the gates still closed... she must have won. His stomach plummeted. Glancing towards the hill that runners typically began, he was assailed by a sudden memory. Milk-chocolate colored eyes and unruly brown hair lifting in the breeze, resolution and determination etched onto her face as she headed off. The admiration he'd felt for her strength.

The name rose the the surface of his mind. Tana. How could he have forgotten? A headache began to pulse in his temples as the memories came faster now, every moment spent with her returning. Seeing her in the oubliette, sending the washers after her; feeling every sensation as she brushed against him as they danced; the heat that had flared between them when their lips had met. Guilt crashed through him. How could he have allowed the Pixie magic to overwhelm him and make him forget? He had helped her, and had suffered for it.

She must have remembered, otherwise, she would still be lost and trapped within the maze. Her will and determination was as strong as his. The Labyrinth was truly a cruel entity, to force him to suffer the loss of her memory. He may have never remembered his Future Queen. The stirring within him snapped and growled, demanding he find her, bring her back where she belonged. He gripped his chest, where the squeezing and clawing ached. It was painful enough to bring lesser men to their knees. He needed her. She was the piece that had been missing.

Grabbing Hoggle by the vest again, he snarled at the dwarf. "Where is she?"

The dwarf looked terrified, struggling against Jareth's powerful hold. "Home! She went home!"

Throwing Hoggle several feet, the Prince vanished.

*Meanwhile, Several beverages later*

The drinks were starting to take effect. Tana focused on the music, hips finding the rhythm on their own as she moved. Callie giggled drunkenly and leaned close to Tana, shouting to be heard over the music. "Looks like we've got some admirers!"

Glancing around, she noted the leering of the very human men around them. At one time, she would have been flattered by their attention. Now, she simply shrugged it off. Their appreciative gazes meant nothing. None had piercing eyes that made her heart race; none could soothe her with a sweep of magic brushing over her skin. They all paled in comparison.

Pausing only a moment to take another drink, she again joined in the crush of human dancers. This club was entirely unlike the dream she'd had; the Fae had danced lightly, natural sunlight a sharp contrast to the flashing strobe she was currently under. The oppressive scent of sweat and tight crush of bodies was different too, as well as the vibration of the music. Callie's eyes were bright, a smile stretching across her lips as she lapped up the attention, reveling in the heavy bass. At least her sister was having fun. This was all overwhelming to her newly sensitized senses.

The alcohol was slowly working its magic on her system, making the noise and scents bearable. Slowly, she began to relax and enjoy moving her hips to the rhythm. It was no Fae dance, but she was still moving with music and others for the joy of it.

Callie noted the slow change in Tana, and smiled. This is just what her sister needed, she thought, a night out. Tana just hadn't been herself lately. It was a relief to see the smile curling her sister's lips. Callie didn't know what had been bothering Tana lately, but it was almost like she was back to her old self tonight. Needing to use the facilities, she shouted to Tana that she'd be right back and wove her way through the partiers, hunting for the inevitably disgusting restrooms.

Tana nodded at her sister, opting to remain on the dance floor. With the alcohol buzzing through her system, she could almost imagine she was back in the glade, among the Fae. If she closed her eyes, she could see it, bright and vivid in her minds' eye. When strong arms wrapped around her from behind, she could pretend it was him for a moment, those mis-matched orbs burning with intensity as he took her into his arms. She leaned into the embrace, willing, for just a moment, to stay lost in her fantasy.

Her body moved with his, heat burning low in her belly as she envisioned her Prince was the one holding her. She felt his hands on her hips, gently urging her to turn to face him. No, she wouldn't comply. If she did, the fantasy would shatter, and she'd be back in the damp, dirty human bar. Eyes closed, she could imagine it was his hands on her hips, sliding sensually over her waist, his breath sending shivers down her spine as it caressed her neck.

So lost in her fantasy, she barely registered the change in music. It became quieter, low piano notes replacing the bass. The vibration from the heavy bass gone, and it felt...still.

She must be really drunk, she decided. Sighing in disappointment that her fantasy had been disrupted, she turned to excuse herself from the man she'd been dancing with.

And it was him, looking at her with that intensity that stole her breath and sent heat crashing through her. She shuddered, and a sense of rightness clicked within her. Her body molded to his perfectly, the scent of him comforting as she buried her face into his firm chest, reciprocating his tight embrace. She was home.

The song...the one that was playing...she knew this song...

It was her song.

"Jareth." She murmured, nuzzling his firm chest. "Where were you?"

Pain shot across his face as he stroked her hair. "The Pixie magic."

Daring a glance at him, she was surprised to see the remorse in his eyes. "It's ok. I understand. You helped me when you weren't supposed to." Then she glanced around at the club; everyone around them was frozen in place. Caught between amusement and annoyance, she asked "What did you do?"

His lips quirked. "I have re-ordered time, and I have done it all for you."

Dipping her head to hide her smile, she looked at him through her long lashes. "What now then, your Majesty?"

With one hand on her chin, he drew her eyes up to meet his. He offered no reply, choosing instead to capture her lips with his, pouring all of his confusion, frustration, admiration, and need into it. That ancient, primal instinct to possess her growled in approval, rising to a fever-pitch when delicate fingers tangled in his wild hair as she met his passion. The inferno between them left them both gasping as they broke apart, Tana's eyes wide. No words were needed as they vanished from the dance floor, the activity resuming.

Callie blinked when she returned to the dance floor, finding her sister gone. Where was she? Looking around, there was no sign of her anywhere. She'd only been gone for five minutes; she couldn't have gone far, right? Pulling out her phone, she started trying to reach her sister.

Worried when she didn't receive a response right away, Callie was on the brink of calling for help when her phone gave a small "ding".

"Met a friend and went for a coffee. Don't wait up."

Callie grinned at the text. Responding that she wouldn't be home that night (and hoping that Tana got the hint), she went off to Brian's apartment. Mentally she cheered for her sister, hoping Tana had a long night ahead.

A/N: At this point in the story, I really started to struggle with writing the chapters. I'm posting it as-is deliberately, in hopes of getting some pointers. I hope you like the way I reunited the Prince and Tana! Thanks for reading! It's not over yet! :)


	22. Chapter 22: Joined

A/N: If you don't like Lemons or don't feel they fit with the overall "feel" of this story, please skip the first several paragraphs. For those of you that like a little citrus, enjoy! :)

Chapter 22: Incomplete

Tana stretched languidly, the sun barely rising over the horizon. Smiling into her pillow, she burrowed into the sweet-smelling warmth next to her. It was hard to believe that he was real, and he was here. Jareth raised an upturned eyebrow at her, and she was gathered into his strong embrace. Yes, he was very much real and very much in her bed, to her breathless delight. Their bodies slid together effortlessly as every inch of herself pressed against him. No clothing impeded them, having been discarded hours earlier. Lips met, gently caressing and stroking the slow burn that rose between them.

She felt him then, pressing hungrily into her hips as he rose to pin her to the mattress, lips never leaving hers as they warred for dominance. Strong hands left trails of fire on her skin as he began a languid exploration of her body, leaving her breathless and aching for more. Lips followed the path his hands traced, blazing a painfully slow path straight to her core.

Eyes rolled back and throaty moans escaped her as her Prince went to work. He was a master of his art, and she was helpless in his hands.

How many times had they made love? They had barely slept for an hour before she'd awoke, feeling languid and satiated. And yet, with his ministrations, her body roared back to life, craving everything he was giving and demanding more.

What was this? She wondered, even as sparks danced across her skin from his touch. What was this all-consuming hunger, this burgeoning desire that threatened to overtake her? Was he possessing her so completely that she might tumble off the cliff of sanity and never return? These thoughts were lost as his searching fingers found her core, her body bowing in response to the lightning that shot through her. There was no room for thoughts now, not with his grip holding her hips down as his lips closed around her center, tongue swirling around her sensitive nub. Mewls and gasps escaped her, everything else melting away. Jareth drove out all thoughts and doubt, leaving nothing but himself. Fingers buried in his blond hair, back arching as she gave herself over to him, legs quivering as she gasped his name.

He growled in satisfaction, his tongue laving her delicious sweetness. Gods, she tasted better than any ambrosia he could have conjured, and the sounds that he could elicit from her... a predatory smile crossed his face. He wanted so much more than these delicious little moans. Sliding a finger into her wetness, his lips never halted their onslaught. She arched, crying out in pleasure.

Tana almost thought she heard him purr in the most cat-like, self-satisfied manner she could have ever imagined.

Through a haze, she watched him make his way back up her body, looking for all the world like a panther stalking his prey. Their lips met, both shuddering as he slid himself effortlessly into her, fitting as though she was made for him and him alone. And perhaps she had been. He didn't move, pressing his forehead to hers, eyes silently communicating more than mere words ever could. Warmth blossomed in her chest as she held him close, feelings passing between them that neither could give voice to. Nothing else was important anymore. In that moment, she was his, and that was all she wanted to be.

Deliberately, he slowly pulled himself out, and with equal slowness, re-entered centimeter by centimeter until she was begging him for more.

And her Prince complied. He was her slave.

She exploded around him, quivering helplessly as his name ripped from her throat. He smiled. There was no sweeter music to his ears than his name on her cherry lips. Moving his hips, she rose to meet his thrust, urging him onwards. Deep within him, a beast roared in triumph. His tongue laved her neck, teeth gently nipping as he moved. He was hers. She was helpless beneath his onslaught, nearly sobbing as another orgasm rocketed through her. This time, the beast within him roared in triumph as he joined her. Arms gathered her close as they once again burrowed beneath the blankets, spent and satisfied.

Her fingers tangled with his as they lay, limbs limp and liquid, together in the bed. His hand glowed with hers, not that they noticed in the early-morning sunlight. Lazily they looked at each other, tenderly touching and exploring. It was a moment that she didn't want to end.

The sound of the front door opening interrupted their serene bubble. Tana froze, not wanting to explain Jareth's presence to her sister just yet. Scrambling out of the bed she began frantically searching for clothes, as he bemusedly watched her rushing about.

"Where's your clothes?" She demanded, riffling through the discarded articles on the floor.

He evaded her question. "What are you doing?" he asked instead, thoroughly enjoying watching her bottom wiggling in the air as she rummaged through the pile.

"What's it look like?" She snapped, yanking an oversized shirt over her head. "Get dressed! I'm not ready to explain you to Callie yet."

Grinning, he was fully clothed with the snap of his fingers. She blinked at him, then snorted in both amusement and annoyance. "Well that's convenient. Now would you mind hiding yourself for a while?"

He rolled his eyes at her, but complied. After all, he was her slave. Turning into an owl, he swooped out of the apartment.

Relieved, Tana smiled at him gratefully as he perched just outside her window. Turning away, she cringed at the pain in her groin she hadn't noticed before. Pulling on a bathrobe over her pajamas, even more stiffness crept into her limbs. Apparently, their rigorous lovemaking had left her sore in places she didn't know existed.

Tying off the bathrobe, she muttered "Worth it" under her breath as she went to meet her sister.

Callie grinned mischievously at her elder sibling. "Well, don't you just look like the cat that ate the canary?" She pounced as soon as Tana came into view. "Tell me all about him!"

Tana flushed, realizing her sister was far too perceptive for her own good. Trying to appear flippant, she waved her hand absently. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Callie made air quotes and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Out for Coffee? Really?"

Tana's face flushed bright red, sending her sister into fits of laughter. "It's complicated!" she cried, raking a hand through her curls while avoiding her sister's eyes.

The younger Williams made more air quotes. _"Complicated."_ Grinning maniacally, she gestured to Tana's appearance. "Can't have been that _complicated_ for you to wake up looking like this."

Her face went up in flames. Spinning on her heel, she stomped off to make coffee, Callie giggling profusely behind her. Putting the pot on while her sister continued to pry, Tana eventually sighed in resignation. Callie's persistence was unrivaled. "Just a...friend. We don't always see eye to eye you could say."

"You must have seen 'eye to eye last night!"

"CALLIE!"

After her laughing fit subsided, Callie continued her inquisition, much more seriously. "So why haven't you ever mentioned this stud before?" Then she frowned. "And not that I care much about him, but weren't you seeing Caleb?"

Tana shrugged, guiltily avoiding her sister's prying eyes. She hadn't even thought about Caleb once since she met Jareth. "Like I said, it's complicated. I'd still rather not talk about it, if that's okay with you. I promise I'll tell you more about him soon. I just want to see where things go first."

"Ok, be all secretive about your mystery man." She stuck her tongue out playfully, then hooked her arm through Tana's.

"Hey, why don't we go shopping? Maybe I can connive more information out of you over shoes we can't afford? Why don't we ask Mom if she wants to meet up with us? You know she misses you."

Relieved for the change of subject, Tana quickly agreed. Plus, it would be good to see her mom. Leaving her sister to call their mother, she headed to the bathroom. Catching sight of Jareth out the window as she walked past, she smiled.

'Mystery Man' indeed. If only her sister knew the half of it.

Jareth felt a tug in the pit of his stomach, and he ruffled his feathers irritably. A summons from his father. Cursing, he tried to catch Tana's eye before flying off, but she was too distracted. What could his father possibly want? No one could enter the gates unless Tana made a decision, so for now he shouldn't be needed. There was no reason for him to leave Tana's side, and with every beat of his wings, the instincts within him protested her absence.

By the time he reached the castle, he was already irritable. Leaving her side made every fibre of his being howl in rebellion. His footsteps were unusually clipped as he swept through the familiar stone walls.

The throne room was oddly devoid of chickens and goblins. Queen Fenlie and his parents stood in front of the thrones, looking up simultaneously at his entry. He tilted his head at this development. Why was Fenlie here? His father gestured him closer, his mother rising and greeting him warmly.

Prince Jareth slowly approached, bowing formally to Fenlie. "Your Highness."

"Prince Jareth." She curtsied in return.

His mother gave him a warm embrace. "Hoggle said that you finally freed yourself from the effect of the Pixie magic. Is that true?"

Cringing at the reminder of his weakness, he nodded. Sarah came forward, touching his face. "Then you know who your Champion is?" He nodded again. Taking his hand, his mother appeared to inspect it, a gentle smile tugged her lips as she appeared to notice something. "So you do, quite well if this is any indication. Seems your father was right about her all along."

The Prince was quickly losing patience. Why was his mother talking about, why was Fenlie here, and what on earth was going on? He went to pull his hand away, but Sarah held firm. Looking to her husband, she jerked her head for him to join her.

Now Prince Jareth was concerned. "What is is?" He asked, looking at the appendage that was drawing so much attention as his father approached.

His father only spared a quick glance as Sarah finally allowed her son to yank his hand away, inspecting it closely. The King met his son's bewildered eyes with a bemused smile. "You have not noticed, but it appears that you have begun the process of becoming mated."

Prince Jareth blanched, looking for himself at his left hand. There, curling around his wrist and connecting to his ring finger, was a nearly invisible white vine. It curved into what appeared to be some sort of celtic design, twisting in and around itself. He'd been so distracted, he had not noticed. And yet, he was unsurprised as he stared at it. There had been a moment when he had _known_ that he was hers, a surrender that he had embraced. There was a concrete certainty to it, like stating a fact. It was as solid and real as saying the sky was blue. He belonged to her. And she, him. That was simply the way it was.

Fenlie, observing this, smiled with delight. Clapping her hands, she broke his thoughts. "Excellent." Her honey eyes looked at King Jareth. "Of course you know I approve the union, your Highness."

The Prince finally snapped. "WHAT IS GOING ON?" He roared, tired of being the butt of a joke that he was clearly not privy to.

The Nymph floated to him, placing a hand on his cheek. "I suppose you have not been informed. Tana is my Daughter, and I plan on acknowledging her as my Heir."

Startled, Jareth could only stare dumbly. At his silence, Fenlie continued. "Had Tana not been your mate, I would have requested you complete trials to prove your devotion to her. However, seeing this..." She touched the white mark on his hand. "I have no such need." She frowned, looking closer at the aforementioned design, "It is not fully formed. Why is this so?"

He flushed as his parents and Fenlie stared at him expectantly, feeling cornered. "How should I know?!" He snapped.

King Jareth's gaze became steely, realizing his son's actions. "The Labyrinth demands ancient rituals be completed. I hope I do not need to elaborate what this means."

When his son just blinked at him, the King sighed. "The Labyrinth demands that both submit, speaking the words while physically joining together in the most primal of acts. You cannot complete the bond without doing both simultaneously. You have only done one of these things, and I presume it was not the words."

Prince Jareth flushed, thoroughly humiliated. "I think I got it, father. I didn't realize that Mate Bonds could be left incomplete."

"Yes, but to live without your mate is to live a half-life, one that is incomplete. You will never be fulfilled, always seeking that missing part of yourself." His gaze turned severe. "To find your mate is a privilege. Most of our kind go a lifetime never experiencing this."

His mother hugged him. "This is wonderful! Don't look like someone just ran over your puppy!"

Fenlie frowned. "As she will be the Princess of the Nymphs, it would be unwise to continue this affair until it has been announced formally." She skewered the Prince, who had the decency to flush and squirm under her stern gaze. "You understand the court rules concerning appropriate conduct?"

Prince Jareth rubbed the bridge of his nose, stepping away from the other Fae. He'd never been particularly good at expressing his thoughts, and the idea of being away from Tana made his heart twist painfully. He was far from displeased that Tana was not only the Champion, but also his mate. The thought of being forced to not touch her for undetermined amount of time was unbearable. "How long do you intend to keep us apart, Fenlie?"

The Nymph Queen gave him a soft smile. "Not long. I am not so cruel. Should she agree, I hope to announce her as my heir within the next two weeks. You may formally announce your intentions at that time."

This soothed a part of himself that he hadn't known existed, an ancient beast rumbling contentedly deep within him. Two weeks was not long at all, and he would make known to the entire underground that she was his. He sighed, looking at his mothers expectant face. The ache of being apart from Tana clawed at his chest, and yet he understood what was being offered. Fenlie would bring Tana to the underground, giving her a kingdom as great as his. Their alliance would giving their kingdom a level of security and prosperity never before seen in the Underground. He hated that politics had any place in this, but he could not ignore his duty as the heir to the Goblin throne. His voice was unusually sharp, words clipped. "I will formally request courtship at that time."

Fenlie looked at him again. "I cannot pretend to understand the way of Mates, for while I loved Foster, we were not bonded in such a way. I still expect formalities to be observed." Her eyes sparkled. "Although I suppose some of these can be overlooked, as the bond of mates far pre-dates our courtship rituals."

Jareth sighed in relief, and then was seized with insecurity as a sudden thought struck him. "What if she doesn't want to complete the bond?"

Sarah tilted her head. "Why wouldn't she?"

Jareth thought of Tana, the defiance snapping in those honey eyes. A smile turned the corners of his lips. "I think she's going to have an issue with the whole 'do as I say' part of the arrangement."

The Goblin Queen laughed, throwing her head back. When her mirth subsided, she glanced at her husband, who also looked amused. "If only you knew how long your Father had to wait for me to come around to agreeing to that part."

The King shrugged helplessly, pulling his Queen close. "At least I upheld my end of the deal. I will ever be your slave, love."

The affection radiating between his parents was unbelievably uncomfortable for him to witness, and yet, strangely, he understood it now. Tana flashed in his mind, her soft little form wrapping around him, fitting him perfectly. The craving for her presence threatened to consume him, that instinct clawing to the surface. "But what if?"

His mother smiled, enveloping the mark of his new bond with her own. "Even if it takes her time, she will come around. Bonds are not chosen by the fates lightly, and once forged, can never be replaced."

Prince Jareth nodded silently, his emotions in a riot. No, there was nothing that could replace Tana's presence in his life.

Fenlie chose that moment to speak. "If your Highnesses don't mind, I would very much like to see my daughter. It seems she has a coronation and an engagement to prepare for."

And with that, she vanished.


	23. Chapter 23: Return

A/N: For those of you still with me on this story, thank you so much! We're almost to the end. I'm not sure if there will be an epilogue or not. Some of the previous chapters have been edited and updated so that things flow more smoothly. As always, I'm dying for your thoughts! Thank you!

23: Decisions

Fenlie found her daughter alone, seated on a low tree branch and curled into a ball. She tilted her head. What could be bothering the young Fae? Finding the park empty, she materialized not far from the girl. Tana didn't seem to notice Fenlie's arrival. Not wanting to startle her daughter, she walked quietly, calling out a soft greeting as she stepped closer.

"Hello love." Despite her efforts, Tana startled at her appearance, then nodded in acknowledgment.

Tana's tone oddly disappointed as she returned the greeting. "Hello, Fenlie".

The Queen frowned, floating gently to sit next to her daughter. "What vexes you child?"

Sighing, Tana uncurled herself. "It's nothing, I'm fine."

Fenlie smiled knowingly, feeling the emotions rolling off of Tana. "It's the Prince, isn't it?"

Tana flushed. "How did you know?!"

She smiled comfortingly. "I can sense your emotions, and you are hurting. I could only presume it was the younger Jareth. How has he upset you?"

"Um, well..." Her face flamed even brighter. How was she supposed to explain it? How could she tell Fenlie that he'd left without saying anything and hadn't returned, leaving her aching and abandoned? That the hole inside of her was deeper then ever, its edges jagged from heartache? That would mean admitting that she'd _slept_ with Jareth, and that was just something she wasn't ready to tell her yet.

"Here, if you don't mind, you won't have to say it at all. I won't know the details, but I'll have some sort of idea".

Tana hesitated, looking into the warm, understanding eyes of this woman who claimed to be her mother. Really, there was no one else to talk to about Jareth. At least, no one who would understand. Reluctantly nodding, Fenlie reached out and took her hand. A warm, soothing pulse of magic swirled through her, but it was gone quickly. The Queen continued to hold her hand fondly, understanding flashing in her eyes.

"The Prince did not mean to leave so abruptly, he was summoned by his father so we could talk."

Tana stared at her. "How did you...?"

Fenlie waved her hand absently. "A simple empathic spell. It allows me to feel what you feel, and I can feel how much his absence pains you. I did not realize he was with you when he was summoned, so I do apologize for the hurt I have caused." She squeezed Tana's hand. "You are missed, Tana Williams. Know that the Prince is hurting just as well."

"Your fault? What do you mean?"

"I requested an audience with him. His father had suspicions that I needed confirmed."

"What suspicions?"

"I need to discuss some things with you first, before I can disclose that information."

Tana sighed. Secrecy was not her favorite thing. "So why hasn't he come back then?"

"Well, there are rules in court concerning how he must now act as you are to be my Heir."

Her daughter blinked, staring hard with confusion creasing her brow. "...What?"

Fenlie's smile widened. "That is precisely what we need to discuss." Squeezing Tana's hand, she continued. "I am asking you to live in the Underground, formally as my Daughter and the Heir to my throne. I would be honored to be your mother, as I was deprived of that while you were young."

A thrill went through her. She could become part of the Fae world, among her own kind, where she truly belonged. And yet, she felt herself hesitating. She'd fought so hard to come back, to be with her mother and sisters. "I just...I don't know. I know I could live in the Underground, but my family here...the Williams...I would miss them so much. They've been my family this whole time. Plus I have a job, school..." Excuses began to rush through her mind, each one more hollow than the last.

Fenlie smiled sweetly, taking Tana's hand. "You have so much to learn yet! What makes you think you would not see your family again?"

Tana stared. "Well, I guess since Grandpa Toby never mentioned Sarah...I just assumed he never saw her again..."

"Likely because he could not explain a Fairy relative to the rest of his family. Rest assured though, Queen Sarah maintained contact with him until the time of his passing. With a little glamor to hide your lack of aging, I'm confident you could continue to see your family. Royalty has always been able to travel freely between worlds."

Relief swept through her. "So I could see them whenever I wanted?"

"Well...yes. Fae royalty can travel back and forth at will for visits, such as a week or so, forever. Any longer than that and the human world begins to drain their life."

The offer was becoming more appealing by the second. "...I guess I'd have to quit my job then..." Tana mused.

Fenlie raised an eyebrow. "Would that truly be such a tremendous loss?"

Tana shook her head in response. No, of course it wouldn't. She would help train a replacement to take her position, but giving up her job for a life of magic would be a small price.

The Queen continued speaking. "If you wanted to continue to attend school, the same rules would apply. You could travel freely, but over time the human world would begin drain you of your strength."

"Wow." Tana breathed, her doubts draining away. Excitement began slowly building. She could do this. She could really, truly, live in the Underground, amidst the magic that made her feel so alive. And Jareth...

The Queen smiled. "Yes, winning your freedom has given you many things, including it seems quite the mark." Her fingers brushed over the white lines that matched the Prince's that ran over Tana's hand.

Tana frowned, not having noticed the mark until now. "What is it?"

Fenlie's eyes laughed merrily. "It's a Mate Bond. Seems you and the Prince have quite the connection."

Tana flushed a deep crimson color, and barely managed to squeak out "What?"

"A mate bond. They're incredibly rare among the Fae, but when a Fae finds their Mate, for them there is no other. It's fate." Tana's eyes widened, and she let out a tiny squeak of protest.

Fenlie touched the mark again, oblivious to Tana's discomfort. "Your bond is thus far incomplete. Both, or one of you, has not fully accepted it. This is unusual; once the mates join, the mark usually cements itself permanently. May I ask why it has not?"

Tana swallowed, Jareth's face flashing in her mind as she swallowed hard. "...Join?"

Fenlie smiled. "No need to be modest, I already know about your...intimacy, shall we say."

If possible, Tana became even redder until she was roughly the same shade as a tomato, drowning in embarrassment. Struggling to speak, her voice stuttered. "I...I didn't know...what does that have to do with..."

The Nymph Queen placed a comforting arm around her daughter. "It's alright love. There is no need to be ashamed. You have, although unwittingly it would seem, begun the process of becoming the Prince's mate. Because the Mark is incomplete, it shows that you have not yet reached a decision." She smiled a little ruefully. "I'm glad you have not fully decided. It gives us a little time to know each other before he whisks you away from me just as I have found you."

Tana could say nothing, mind reeling with this information.

"Of course, you will live with me, get to know your future subjects. We'll have a Ball, introduce you to the Kingdoms as my Heir. There is no need to concern yourself with the Prince right away." Then she smiled a bit impishly. "However, now that it is known you're my Daughter, trysts with the Prince will be forbidden until the courtship can be announced formally."

Mortified, Tana flushed from the roots of her hair to her toes. Fenlie laughed lightly, soothing her daughter until Tana smiled sheepishly back at her mother. Relaxing, Tana allowed herself to experience this warm feeling of acceptance, of belonging, for perhaps the first time in her life. She blinked the tears away as she looked at her mother. Her real mother. This woman, in just a few short minutes, had made her feel more at home and accepted than she ever had before. She'd never been so understood.

Humiliation subsiding, Tana focused on her very mundane, human life concerns. "Can I have a few days aboveground? You know, just to get things in order? If I'm going to leave the apartment to Callie, there's a few things that I need to do."

Fenlie patted her knee. "Take all the time you need."

"An internship in England?" Callie asked skeptically.

"Yep. It's an opportunity I can't really pass up! Of course, next semester I'll probably come back for a few classes once the internship is over. Unless I get a job there."

Her sister bounced excitedly. "I'm so happy for you! England! Can you say JEALOUS?" Callie hugged her tightly. "I'm going to miss you so much! Not sure how I'll pay for this place on my own though..."

Tana handed her sister a slip of paper. "Here, this is the number of one of my classmates. She's a theater major, but we had an intro English class together. She's really nice and last I checked, looking for a place to live."

Tears welled up in Callie's blue eyes. "You've thought of everything; that's just like you."

The girls embraced, Callie telling her again that she was going to miss seeing her big sister every day.

"I'll come visit, I promise." Tana swore.

"You'd better!" Callie threatened.

The brunette smiled. "Wild horses couldn't keep me away."

A week later, Tana stepped into her new life.

Fenlie's castle was quite different from the Goblin King's. Where his was full of harsh angles and bare hallways with elegantly minimal décor (courtesy of Queen Sarah), Fenlie's castle was full of curving archways, vines dropping off every available ledge, statues and fountains in courtyards that appeared to be everywhere. There were hallways that led to rooms without ceilings and some with glass ceilings. Furniture was highly polished wood, crafted from the richest mahogany. Fenlie's castle was a celebration of the natural world, and Tana found herself loving every inch of it.

Her mother showed her everything and introduced her to the Court Steward and kitchen staff as they passed through. They greeted Tana warmly, excited to meet their new Princess. Tana was surprised to find that they were not all Nymphs; some were Elves, and even a few were Goblins. It was a whirlwind, and she feared she would never remember all the names and faces that she met.

It was with a great deal of relief that she collapsed into her room, exhausted from the events of the day. Moving was no picnic, and moving between realms was completely draining. Sitting up on the massive mattress, she studied the rich colors around her. While the walls were a stone gray color, the bedspread and curtains were a rich red shot through with gold thread in a floral design. Large double doors would open to a small balcony, and it seemed she had a small private bath. A bouquet of Azaleas, white with red centers, greeted her on a vanity. Sitting down and inhaling deeply their lovely fragrance, she paused to take stock of her appearance in the mirror.

Tana couldn't remember a time that she'd looked this good. Her hair was a shimmering, heavy mass of flawless spirals, framing a delicate heart-shaped face. Her full lips seemed to be a permanent shade of ruby, large almond eyes framed by impossibly thick lashes. Her skin was smooth and flawless. Gently she touched her own cheek, marveling at herself. Magic looked _good_ on her. The light mark on her hand caught her eye, and she frowned at it.

She hadn't seen Jareth in a week. Fenlie had explained that due to her new status, he would not be able to 'call on her at will'. His absence though, hurt far more than she cared to admit. Holding her hand to her chest, she closed her eyes, willing his image out of her mind. Deciding she needed air, she went to the balcony.

The view was spectacular. The Nymph Kingdom was lush forests, crystalline lakes, and swampy marshes. The soil was thick and rich. Fenlie had explained that timber from here was highly valued, and the craftsmanship produced by the nymphs was second to none. Several creatures lived in this lush region of all shapes and sizes. Over time, she hoped to become more familiar with all the animals and people of the kingdom. She breathed deep, the air warm and moist, heavy with the fragrance of strange flowers.

For a moment, she allowed herself to marvel at it all. Scarcely a month ago, she'd convinced herself Magic wasn't real, that she would have to settle for a normal human life. Now she knew that sort of life would slowly have killed her. And now, she felt...full. Complete. Whole.

Goblin Prince or no, there was a sense of rightness, of belonging, that brought a smile to her lips. Yes, there was no doubt this was where she was meant to be.

A soft hoot drew her attention, and a thrill went through her to see him, perched quietly in the trees. "Hello, your highness." She whispered, knowing he would hear her. Ruffling his feathers and tilting his head at her, he looked like he was ready to fly onto her balcony. Instead, she blew him a kiss and went back inside. It was only her first day, after all, and she intended to maintain the distance that was demanded of her station. Even so, her heart sang knowing that he was nearby. Still smiling softly while she closed the curtains, she went to bed, ready for her life to begin.

A/N: Still not over yet! Just a bit more! Much love and please leave your thoughts! :)


	24. Chapter 24: Forever

A/N: Here it is folks, the last chapter. I hope you've all enjoyed the ride! I keep going back and making edits as I re-read through the story, and I hope you will all continue to give me feedback so I can make tweaks. Thank you all for reading and I hope this chapter satisfies! :)

The Last Dance

Over the next two weeks, Tana was roped into the swirl of preparations. Her friends, Taviki and Hoggle, traveled to see her at her request. Hoggle couldn't remain long in the Nymph castle, being the Gatekeeper of the Labyrinth and all, but he promised to visit again soon. Taviki remained. He reveled in the rich soil and climate of the Nymph kingdom, and kept Tana company. With Fenlie's blessing, he became a permanent resident of the Nymph Kingdom.

Tana was greatly relieved for his presence. Everyone at the Castle was kind enough, but they were all so formal with her. Taviki hadn't changed his behavior one whit with her new status, chattering happily and bowling her over with exuberant affection every now and again. It was a refreshing reprieve from all the details she'd been running over with her mother. Tana had so much to learn about etiquette and Fae customs. Fenlie brushed over the basics, ensuring that there would be no major faux pas at the ball, but Tana new she still had a long way to go in her new role.

Despite all the stress of her sudden launch into royalty, she was certain she'd made the right choice. At least once, she'd headed up to visit the aboveground. Time moved differently here, so by the time she'd gone up she'd only been gone for a day or so. It was far easier to travel between worlds than she expected; Fenlie showed her how. Her magic was becoming stronger the more time she spent here, and her mother was a patient and loving teacher.

With the rush of training and teaching, the day of the Ball came far too quickly.

Taviki was stretched out across her bed while she fretted in front of a full-length mirror, studying herself critically. The gown had been custom-made, but she still found herself analyzing every inch of it, smoothing her glossy hair unnecessarily, checking and re-checking the delicate application of glamor magic on her face. He rolled his eyes at her self conscious picking, doing his best to be encouraging as he grinned.

"I'm not expert, but I'd say you look fantastic."

She smiled at him, shoulders relaxing incrementally. "Thanks Taviki."

The weasel rolled around on the mattress, looking at her upside down. "Any time. I'm sure that your Prince will be far more impressed than I am."

She blushed, but before she could retort, a light knock drew her attention. At Tana's invitation, her personal aide entered. "Your Highness? Are you ready?"

Swallowing thickly, she gave the elf a short nod. Giving a quick hug to her furry friend, she asked him to wish her luck before inhaling deeply and following the maid's lead. Down the hallway she strode, butterflies threatening to make her nauseous the closer she came. Finally, she was lead to the top of the grand staircase. Fenlie was waiting for her, smiling warmly.

"Are you ready?" She asked, looping Tana's arm through hers.

Princess Tana took a deep breath, vainly trying to calm her nerves. "I hope so."

Tana nervously held onto her mother's arm as they prepared to be announced. The court steward, a rather exceptionally tall Nymph man with severe dark features, gave Fenlie a quick run down of the guests that were in attendance. All the neighboring kingdoms were in here, with the notable exception of Hriedmar and his wife.

Of course, the Goblin King and his family would be there. Just the thought of seeing Prince Jareth for the first time in two weeks set her stomach twisting into knots. Fenlie squeezed her arm reassuringly, sensing the cause for Tana's tension. The younger woman relaxed, smiling gratefully at the Queen. In just a few short weeks, Fenlie and Tana had become closer than Tana had ever been with her adopted mother. As much as she loved her human family, there was nothing that could truly have ever replaced this. She glanced at her weak mate bond. It was hardly noticeable at the moment. Tana was warned that if she rejected the Prince, it would be nearly impossible for her to find another love. Mates were bound by fate, and to deny that bond was to live a half-life, always incomplete. Knowing Jareth was hers sent a thrill down her spine.

She wondered if he was going as crazy as she was. Their time apart had only driven her to crave him more. As her fae instincts came to life, so too did her desire for him. She sorely missed his touch, that look in his eyes that set her blood on fire. Once, she'd thought it was impossible to feel this way. Such things were for the realm of fairy tales. But now, here she was. At first she hadn't been certain she wanted to spend her life with him; after all, he was a bit arrogant and self-assured. And how well did she know him really? But now, with her heart racing and anticipation clawing at her chest, she knew with certainty that she couldn't spend a lifetime without him.

Self-consciously, she smoothed her hands down the front of her dress for what must have been the millionth time. The fabric was a rich, deep burgundy color, complementing her skin perfectly. Black and silver threads delicately covered sweetheart neckline of the bodice, the back laced up with black satin ribbon. The skirt flared out ever-so slightly from the hips, chosen carefully to not overwhelm her petite frame. Her dark hair was piled on top of her head in elegant curls, several tendrils left to frame her face and brush her shoulders. Rather than diamonds, she wore a string of enchanted glowing dewdrops, strung together on a golden vine. They added a soft, ethereal light to her face. She wore no makeup, but magic had been applied to give the illusion of sultry dark eye-shadow, bringing out the glow of her golden eyes.

She looked seductive, alluring, and regal all at once. Even knowing that she looked phenomenal, she still had to clasp her hands to still their nervous trembling.

Fenlie squeezed her arm soothingly. "Just remember what I taught you. You'll be fine. You are my daughter, and a powerful Fae in your own right. Tonight is yours."

Tana gave her a grateful smile, feeling unbelievably blessed to have Fenlie in her life.

The steward stepped to the top of the steps, looking over his shoulder at them. Giving them a short nod, he turned to the audience, voice booming out over the crowd.

Fenlie squeezed Tana's hand gently. "It's time. Come along now." With that, she gently led her daughter to the top of the staircase, just as the steward stated their names and titles. Applause rippled through the room, but one figure stood stone still, meeting the new Princess's eyes with a searing gaze.

Her mother's grip subtly tightened, reminding her of her duties, halting her as she unconsciously moved towards him. Instincts that she hadn't felt before roared to life, demanding she go to her mate. The mark on her hand subtly became more pronounced as she returned his burning gaze with her own, everyone else in the room seeming to fade away. Fenlie brought her back to reality with a gentle squeeze on her arm. Forcing herself to focus on the other guests, she descended the stairs.

The next hour was a blur of meetings different royals and diplomats. Her head spun as she struggled to remember all the names and faces she was meeting. Fenlie never left her side, whispering and encouraging her as she mingled with the elegant Fae, reminding her who was who. She was impossibly grateful; she was sure she would have fumbled awfully if it wasn't for her mother.

When the Goblin Monarchs came forward to be introduced, her world came crashing halt as time seemed to stop. Prince Jareth placed a formal kiss on the back of her hand, heat rushing through her from the simple touch. To her starving gaze, he was breathtaking. Wearing a sparkling black jacket, buttery soft burgundy pants, and black highlights in his hair, everything about him was dark and alluring, pulling her into his mismatched eyes.

His voice was pure velvet across her senses. "Your Highness." he murmured, bowing low.

She inclined her head, struggling to maintain her own composure as shivers shot down her spine. "Crown Prince Jareth."

The smoldering promise in his eyes told her that yes, she had been missed. She felt his magic reach out, caressing her silently, and she shivered again with pleasure. Fenlie smiled bemusedly, drawing Tana's attention again. Now was not the time for such advances. The Princess flushed, reluctantly, turning away from the Prince to greet the Goblin Queen. She felt his eyes on her, like a physical caress. She wanted nothing more than to launch herself into his arms, as she would have if she wasn't now royalty.

Sarah fought her smile, pleased to see the reciprocal yearning in Tana's eyes mirroring her son's. Her smile stretched further as she noticed the mark on their hands growing stronger each second they spent in each other's presence. Stepping forward to introduce herself to Tana formally, she gently gave the young girl a hug. "We are family, you know. We always were. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Tana softly smiled at the subtle reminder of her grandpa. She wished he could be here to see this. "You as well, Your Majesty", she responded, curtsying prettily.

Sarah quirked an eyebrow, sliding a glance at Fenlie. "You have certainly learned court customs far more quickly than I did. You must have a very good teacher." Sarah looked at her husband. "My instructor was a bit too...distracted to teach me much when I came to the underground."

Tana laughed louder than what was polite, covering her mouth with her hand to suppress her giggle. King Jareth looked not the slightest bit miffed at his wife's teasing jab. "I'm not sorry about that in the least, love. And it created some interesting...situations at our first fae celebration, if you do recall."

Smacking her husband playfully on the arm, she looked at Tana conspiratorially. "Remind me to tell you the story of the time I met the Trolls for the first time."

Grinning, Tana inclined her head. "I will."

With that, Queen Sarah excused herself and looped her arm through her son's. With the way he'd been eying Tana like a perfectly prepared steak, she felt it prudent to lead him away before he made more of a spectacle of himself. King Jareth grinned. This evening was certainly shaping up to be entertaining.

When the dancing began, several young Fae gentlemen vied for her attention. After all, the Nymphs were a powerful Kingdom and an alliance through marriage was highly desirable. She didn't fail to notice the rage simmering in the Prince's eyes with each new partner, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. His torture was rather enjoyable, and she made it a point to laugh and focus on each new partner, knowing it would drive him crazy.

Sarah didn't fail to notice this slight; she too, enjoyed watching her womanizing son squirm. It was unusual for him to ignore all the young ladies vying for his attention. He was generally highly sought after, for both his title and his roguish good looks. Tana's teasing was good for the boy, keeping his attention locked firmly on her, much the annoyance of several ladies of the court. Sarah smiled. This girl certainly did have a will as strong as her son's. One day, she would make a fine Queen. Toby had certainly raised his children well, guiding his grandchildren with wisdom that came with age. Her clever brother must have known that Tana wasn't entirely human and made sure to get the book into her hands. She'd suspected it herself, hearing him speak of her.

As Tana paused for a drink, Sarah approached her. Tana dipped low into a curtsy, greeting the older woman politely.

The Goblin Queen waved her hand flippantly. "Oh don't be so formal. We're family, after all." Leaning in close, she dropped her voice conspiratorially. "I feel as though I know you so well already. You were my brother's favorite, you know. He talked about you all the time."

Tana looked at her in confusion. "He mentioned me?"

Sarah's eyes became distant. "A lot, actually. I would visit him using the mirror in his room. He knew you had magic in you."

Unexpected tears formed in Tana's eyes. "I miss him."

Sarah gave Tana's hand a gentle squeeze. "Me too."

King Jareth chose that moment to approach, winking at his wife. "Would the Princess care for a dance?"

Tana smiled at the kindness in the Goblin King's face. He looked so much like his son to her eyes; same wild hair, same high cheekbones and sensual lips. However eyes were older somehow; softer and wiser. The King's features were sharper, more pronounced than his son's. Dropping in a curtsy, she accepted his invitation. "Of course, your Majesty" she said, accepting his offered hand.

The King was a superb dancer, sweeping her through the steps of the waltz easily. He smiled, fine lines crinkling at the corners of his eyes. "It seems you're being watched this evening."

She smiled. "So I've noticed."

"My son seems quite taken with you."

Tana blushed. "I don't know about that, Sire. However, I do appreciate you sending him to watch over me. Your concern was well-warranted."

Jareth smiled, subtly vanishing the glove on his left hand. Looking pointedly at it to draw her attention to it, she gasped, her eyes darting back to his. "You and Sarah...?"

He nodded. "When I sent Jareth to you, I suspected that this was a possibility for you. It seems I was right."

Her eyes widened. "You...planned this?"

"Not exactly, but I am pleased by the turn of events."

She shook her head good-naturedly as he swept her across the floor. "I'm glad you are one of our allies."

"You sound just like your mother." He teased. Then he grew serious again. "Would you find him acceptable? I will approve of your union, as your mother has, with your permission."

Tana blushed, but answered politely with a shy smile. "I believe so, Your Highness."

Pleased, he twirled her around. "Then I will announce the courtship tomorrow. And please, you may call me Jareth. No need for formalities"

She grinned wider at him. "Your wife said the same thing."

He gave a short bark of laughter. "I can imagine she did. She always tells me titles make her feel old."

The dance came to an end, the King planting a chaste kiss on the back of her hand. "I look forward to seeing more of you in the future."

"So do I."

Releasing her, they bowed to each other. Tana was swept up into another dance, but as she moved from partner to partner, the Prince's eyes never left her.

It was during the final dance of the evening, another waltz, when Prince Jareth captured her.

His touch electrified her as none other had. He pulled her closer than was strictly appropriate for the evening, though neither cared any longer about propriety with his arms around her.

"Where have you been?" She murmured, looking at him coyly through thick lashes. "I've been waiting all evening."

He smirked, his husky whisper sending a delicious shiver down her spine. "Did you miss me?"

Tana fought a smile. "Not at all." She teased, twirling away and then back into his arms, barely keeping an acceptable distance between them.

He pulled her closer, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "My parents are going through the formalities of announcing a courtship, with my Lady's permission of course."

She felt her heartbeat speed up. "And if I change my mind?"

His voice dropped an octave, his breath becoming a caress across her skin. "Then I'll have to try harder to convince you." One gloved hand slid dangerously low down her back, and she shivered with the memory of what his touch could do.

Knees quivering, she forced herself to remain upright. "Then it should please my Prince to know that I accept his Courtship."

Smirking, he spun her across the floor one final time. Leaning close to her again, "You best inform your mother then." And with that, he released her, although the feel of his hand on her waist lingered.

Fenlie quirked an eyebrow at her daughter. One would have to have been blind to miss the clear connection between the Goblin Prince and the Nymph Princess. Any of the Royalty present would be unsurprised by the announcement of their betrothal, even if it would seem sudden. There would be rumors, but they would die down quickly as they always did. Her gaze slid to the the mark on Tana's hand, finding it marginally brighter than before, and she smiled. Silently questioning her daughter with her eyes, Tana gave a short nod in response. She accepted the courtship.

Leading Tana from the room at the end of the night after politely thanking their guests, Fenlie waited until they were well away from the ballroom before speaking. "Did you have fun?"

"Yes! I really don't think I'm going to remember everyone though."

"That will come with time. And what of the Prince?"

Tana blushed. "King Jareth would like to announce our courtship...?

"You have made a decision then?"

Tana nodded sheepishly, glancing away.

Pleased, Fenlie smiled wryly. "Then you'll be pleased to know that us Fae are not overly strict in our rules regarding proper courtship behavior, particularly where mates are concerned."

Mortified at what Fenlie was implying, Tana turned scarlet. "Mother!"

The older woman chuckled. "Fae are not as... prudish as Humans are in these matters. Do not be ashamed of your desires. After all, it appears you two were bound from the start." Saying this, she held up Tana's hand so that her daughter could examine the mark as well. Tana was surprised she hadn't noticed the change in it until now.

"How do you feel about him?"

Her chest seized up at Fenlie's question. How did she feel about him? She'd never felt this way about anyone before; how was she supposed to describe it? "I don't know..." she stumbled, struggling for words.

Fenlie smiled knowingly. "Love?"

Tana nodded silently.

Her mother smiled, halting in front of Tana's room. "Then go to your Prince" she said, pushing her daughter into the room.

Tana looked at her questioningly, but Fenlie simply bade her good night and left her standing alone.

Frowning, she stepped into the room further, when a movement outside on her balcony drew her attention. Understanding dawned on her eyes as she realized now what her mother meant. The wind from his wings blew her hair back as he swooped inside.

They collided, lips hungrily devouring each other as they fell together, fingers tearing at clothing and some articles vanishing magically. She was more than ready for him, surrendering everything to her Prince, the mark glowing as magic hummed contentedly around them.

Somehow, in their frenzy, Jareth found his right words. He murmured them, ancient fae instincts demanding he make her his as his teeth elongated, fangs grazing her throat. Tana's voice, echoing the words of binding, completed the bond. Linking their hands together, he claimed his prize. Or was it her claiming him? He couldn't tell as their bodies melded, two becoming one. The mark flared at their joining, his fangs sliding effortlessly into the side of her throat. Vaguely he felt her do the same, a rush of savagery slamming through him as primitive instincts took over with a vicious snarl. They lost all sense of themselves, a wildness driving them now as they danced in an ancient ritual, one older even than the Labyrinth itself.

Hours later they lay stretched across Tana's bed, neither willing to break the serene bubble surrounding them. The morning would bring with it the formal announcement of their courtship, perhaps even engagement. A wedding would be planned, likely organized by their parents. They would sort out living arrangements and duties of running two kingdoms another time. For now, they were content to languish in each other's presence, feeling the beasts within themselves purring contentedly. This was how it was supposed to be. The sense of two halves becoming whole was inescapable, as undeniable as the universe itself. They would savor this moment, and each moment to come.

After all, it's only forever. Not long at all.

A/N: Please review and let me know what you think! Thank you for Reading!


	25. A Note from the Author

For those of you that opted to follow this story, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm so happy you enjoyed this experience. This was truly one of the hardest things for me to write and it means a lot to me that you liked it.

That being said, I'm strongly considering a re-write of several chapters to incorporate more of my own ideas into the piece. Several people commented that my own work was better than the bits I borrowed from the movie, and I whole-heartedly agree after re-reading several of the middle chapters. I would also like to introduce the Prince in a different way, as there seemed to be some confusion as to who he was initially.

In short, I'm looking for ideas. I would LOVE to hear from you all as to your thoughts and what you would like to see! Please message me, but if you can't, just drop a comment. If I do end up posting a re-written version, I will still try to ensure that this version remains posted on the site. Thank you all again for your input and love!


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